


The Odd Mix

by OikurooMiyuki



Series: Sunshine Park Academy [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Hand Jobs, M/M, Masturbation, Mutual Masturbation, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Past Violence, Riding, Romance, Switching, iwaoi - Freeform, oiiwa - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-05-07 13:37:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 94,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5458376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OikurooMiyuki/pseuds/OikurooMiyuki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Iwaizumi shook his head in dismissal, but after a while he spoke, "Do you buy a drink to all the strangers you accidentally collide with?" He asked with genuine curiosity. </p><p>Oikawa laughed and shook his head "Not really no, but I do buy a drink to all the cute strangers I accidentally collide with." He said in complete ease, almost not noticing what he had just said. </p><p>-----</p><p>Alternative Universe where you'll find Elementary School teachers, cute baristas, celebrities, and many more!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Annoyance

**Author's Note:**

> I will be adding more tags, and there might also be a bigger addition of characters, but since I'm thinking about turning this into a series, I might add them in the other fics. Either way please make sure you're aware of the changes before reading. 
> 
> Enjoy <3 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

The streets of Tokyo had always been busy, and Iwaizumi was so used to them that he never had to look up from his cell phone to know where he was going, or if he had someone in front of him.

His walk to work was more of a standby mode, rather than him paying attention to his surroundings. It did sound like a bad thing to most people that knew him, but what exactly did he have to look at that he hadn't seen before?

Japan was a busy country where people woke up and went to work without saying or doing much in the process; it just happened. That's all. And he wasn't going to try to embellish something so simple and quick when he could be part of the process and get done with it.

It was a fresh and sunny morning, closing up to Autumn, when Iwaizumi found himself, just like every other morning, walking to work with his phone in one hand, and the warm coffee he had bought in the cafeteria a few blocks from his place in the other.

While his eyes read a random news article, he stopped still just as the sidewalk came to an end and gave place to the road. The street-light was red, and the cars began to move.

His hand moved his cup of coffee up to his lips, when suddenly someone who hadn't noticed the red light collided with him, and incidentally poured the hot liquid all over his white T-Shirt.

"Shit!" He complained out loud, looking down at himself, and feeling the hot stains trying to cool down with the help of fresh weather.

He frowned and turned around to see who had been the clumsy idiot who had messed up his shirt and wasted his coffee, only to find two men slightly taller than him, one with black messy hair that seemed more of a bed-hair and a pair of narrowed eyes that resembled those of a cat, and the other had perfect chocolate-brown hair and eyes, he was completely red in the face and almost shaking.

"I-I'm sorry!" He apologized immediately, feeling completely embarrassed. His hands were all over his pockets as he shuffled around before taking out a pack of tissues and handing them to Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi took them, part of him feeling bad for the stranger, but he was too angry to stop a deep sigh from coming out of his chest.

As he quickly took out one of the tissues and attempted to dry up his shirt, the stranger quickly glanced to the man next to him who giggling in place and shaking his head, was clearly not about to do anything to help his friend to get out of the situation.

"I'm honestly so sorry, I'm such an idiot!" The stranger repeated over and over again, ignoring his friend who continued to giggle at his side.

"It's alright, don't worry about it." Iwaizumi was finally able to say as he handed him back the pack of tissues.

The light must have turned green again because the people around them began to move. Iwaizumi turned around and followed them while still using the tissue on his T-Shirt.

He could hear the other man still giggling on the back while the stranger quietly hissed him to shut up. "Do you think maybe I should buy him coffee?" He asked in panic.

"Dude, relax, you apologized, and he said it was okay." His friend tried to reassure him with a very laid back tone.

"No, but look at him, his face was all red... He must be so angry." He said in a dramatic tone, but that somehow seemed genuine to his friend since he replied.

"Well he isn't going the same way as us, so if you want to do it do it now." He said still entirely indifferent and mostly amused.

As Iwaizumi was about to turn to the left, hoping to do it quickly enough so the stranger wouldn't be able to stop him and continue with the awkward scene, he felt a tap on his shoulder that could only mean he had been too slow.

"Excuse me..." The man said with a mixture of embarrassment and confidence, which only confused Iwaizumi even more.

Iwaizumi turned around, raising an eyebrow and feeling the coffee stains starting t cool down. "Yes?" He asked in a bit of a grumpy tone.

"Uhm, I feel terribly bad for colliding against you and wasting your coffee... Would it be okay if I buy you a new one?" He asked scratching the back of his perfect brown hair, and trying to take off the weight of his embarrassment with a smile.

Iwaizumi looked at him, and then at his friend whose face seemed like he was about to die from laughter. "It's okay, really, don't worry about it. It was almost finished anyways." He lied.

The man insisted "Please, I feel horrible..."

While this was meant as a kind gesture, well not exactly kind since he had indeed just wasted his coffee, Iwaizumi only found it annoying.

He just wanted to get to work, to go back to his boring and busy mornings where all he had to do was silently walk until he reached the main door of either his workplace or his apartment.

"He will insist until you accept." His friend finally addressed Iwaizumi, still amused, but distractedly looking at his watch. The other man nodded eagerly.

"I'm sorry but I have to get to work." Iwaizumi replied to both in the nicest tone he could manage.

"Well then, it doesn't have to be now!" The man in front of him shrugged with a bright smile on his face.

Iwaizumi opened his mouth but the stranger stopped him "I insist! Please let me buy you coffee not right now but some other time!" He spoke fast, as if he was reciting the oddly long title of a movie, and bowed down with his eyes tightly closed.

Unable to find the words, Iwaizumi glanced at the other man, his eyes had moved from the watch and were now looking at his friend, he rolled his eyes un-surprised at the dramatic attitude his friend had used.

"Uh..." Iwaizumi finally said "I... I guess I can't say no."

"No you cannot." He replied in a more cheerful tone. "Give me your email address!"

He looked at him surprised "...Why?"

"Well, so I can get in touch with you, of course. How else will we be able to have coffee?" The man giggled.

"Oh..." Was all he said while he tried to process the situation.

Was he really about to give his details to a stranger? And to make it worse; was he really going to give his details to a very annoying stranger?

"Okay." The words escaped his mouth before he could stop them, and as he was reaching down his pocket to grab one of his business cards he stopped and looked at both strangers. The giggling one was now looking at Iwaizumi with wide eyes, probably surprised that he had agreed to exchange details.

Iwaizumi sighed and handed his card to the man in front of him who took it cheerfully. "Good! Well, I won't hold you back any longer!" The man tilted his head and put the card in his pocket.

Iwaizumi nodded, and cleared his throat "Okay then..."

The stranger turned around with his friend, and as they both set off in the opposite direction, he looked back "I'll talk to you later!" He waved off.

Iwaizumi frowned but didn't wave back, instead, he resumed his walk to work.

He wasn't very far from his workplace, but it gave him enough time to wonder how on earth his morning had shifted so drastically in such little time. He wanted to go after that man and tell him to go away and stop interrupting his precious boring mornings. He didn't want any of his nonsense.

What was his nonsense anyways? He couldn't even say he had just met the man because he didn't meet him! He was a victim of an incident caused by him, and the incident prolonged more than it should have. That's all.

He groaned as he opened the crystal door that had the letters "Sunshine Park Academy" engraved on them. The bell above the door rang softly, and the warmth of the building soon accommodated to his body and helped with the fresh patches of already cold stains of coffee that were spreading cold shivers down his spine.

Sunshine Park Academy was a tiny school in the middle of Tokyo where Iwaizumi had been working for a few years. It was so small it didn't have a Middle School or High School, and the only levels of schooling they offered were Pre-School, Kindergarten, and Elementary School. He was the Kindergarten teacher, and he loved his job as much as the children who made his days better.

"My my, you were almost late! This must be the end of the world." A voice said from the reception counter.

"Morning, Daichi." Iwaizumi replied without looking at him. He hung his coat on the hanger at the entrance and walked towards the staff locker-room where every employee kept their spare clothes.

"May I ask what on earth happened to you?" Daichi peeped his head through the door. He was about Iwaizumi's height, with a strong-looking body, short dark hair, and brown eyes. His attitude was sweet, yet strong like a leader. He was one of the two Elementary School teachers.

"Some idiot collided against me and poured all my coffee on my shirt." Iwaizumi explained as he took off his shirt and grabbed a spare one from his locker. "Now this idiot wants to repay me my coffee, and will bother me with an email sometime today." He sighed "I hope not." He said while buttoning up the clean T-shirt.

Daichi listened intently, nodding. "Well, why so annoyed? Isn't it nice of him to do that?"

Iwaizumi turned to him, "No. He's annoying." He replied not even sure on what grounds he was making that claim, or why he was so sure of it.

Daichi chuckled "I seriously can't understand how you can be so grumpy around adults... How can you even do your job properly?"

"If you're talking about Iwaizumi, I can tell you why." A soft and sweet voice made Daichi turn around.

"Ah, Suga!" Daichi smiled, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "Please tell me why! it's a mystery I've been trying to solve." He chuckled.

"Well, Iwaizumi has a very short temper when it comes to adults, but his patience is overwhelming with children." Suga walked towards them, and smiled at Iwaizumi "Good morning!" If the word -gentleness- was a person, that person would be Suga. He was slightly shorter than Daichi, his hair was light gray despite his young age, and his eyes were brown. His most adorable feature was the small mole under his left eye. He worked with Daichi as the second Elementary School teacher.

Daichi looked at them both confused "Well what does that have to do..." Before he could finish, Suga interrupted him.

"He doesn't like grown-ups who act like children, just like he doesn't like children who try to be grown ups. In his mind, children are the only ones allowed to make mistakes." He explained glancing at Daichi.

"Isn't that a bit harsh, though?" Daichi glanced at Iwaizumi who was as surprised as him with Suga's analysis.

"It would be if he did it to be mean, but being grumpy around adults is his form of caring." Suga replied. It didn't make too much sense, not even to Iwaizumi, but they both shrugged. It was usual for Suga to say deep things that didn't make sense at first until suddenly one day you find yourself having a nice bowl of cereal or in some other random scenario, and your eyes widen as you realize you finally understand what he meant. Like a revelation of some sort.

As Iwaizumi exited the locker-room and walked back to the entrance with them, someone came in through the door. "Hehehe!" A loud and energetic voice resounded in the room.

The three men turned to the door and looked at the man who walked towards them, he was taller than any of them, and his spiked up black and white hair only made him seem taller. His eyes were big and round, and their color was a mixture of honey and gold.

"Good morning, Bokuto!" Suga greeted him.

"How are my favorite people in the world? Have the tiny humans made their presence yet?" Bokuto looked around excitedly, he was the Pre-School teacher, and his energy made him a great fit for the position. He loved his students as much as any of them, but his love was different. In his eyes he was one of them, enjoying playtime, naps, and all the work as much as the children did.

As he always liked to say -As teachers we must offer children the best education, but as grown ups we must learn from them as well, for we are children at heart.- Iwaizumi found his moments of wisdom unsettling.

"You do know you're late, right?" Iwaizumi pointed out, trying to hide the fact that he had just barely arrived on time.

Bokuto looked at him with a wide smile, "What can I say? I got distracted grabbing coffee."

Daichi chuckled "Yeah, we figured, just like you do every morning... Have you, at least, asked him for his name?"

Bokuto looked at him offended "How on earth am I supposed to interact with such beauty? Besides, he barely looks at me." He pouted dramatically. Bokuto had had a crush on the barista from his usual cafeteria for about a year, and although he went every morning telling himself he'd talk to him and introduce himself, he never managed to do so.

Daichi and Suga laughed while Iwaizumi shook his head trying to repress a chuckle.

"Besides, I'm not late if Kiyoko doesn't see me coming in late." He said with a grin and crossing his arms over his chest proudly.

"Oh, I see you coming in late every morning, Bokuto." A feminine voice approached them, and they all turned around to looked at her. Kiyoko was the head of the school, she didn't teach any level or class, and her job consisted mostly on doing all the paperwork and official stuff. Her name was plastered in every document as she had built the academy from the ground herself, and she was their boss.

She walked towards them, her eyes looking down on her tablet reading some emails. Whenever she was seen, she had that tablet in her hand and she was always working. Kiyoko was much shorter than all of them, her hair was long and black, falling over her shoulders and making it look as if it was made of silk. Her glasses reflected the screen on her hands, and hid the deep blue eyes that made her look intimidating yet sweet whenever she looked straight into someone else's eyes.

Bokuto looked at her in panic, unsure of what she'd say next, but she only sat down at the reception counter shuffling through the paperwork in her tablet and the hard copies on the desk before finally speaking "If you're coming in late, at least, get his name. I won't say as much as his number, but it's about time your tardiness has a proper excuse."

Everyone's eyes widened, and Bokuto's cheeks turned red. "I-I... Yes, ma'am." He whispered letting all the air escape his chest as if he had just been punched in the stomach. Meanwhile, Iwaizumi and the others couldn't help but laugh loudly.

The bell above the door rang once more, and, this time, it was the students who started to come in. Iwaizumi greeted his students cheerfully, immediately forgetting the grumpiness from his unusual morning, and he guided them towards their classroom where he'd soon start his morning lesson.

\---------

After a few long hours, it was finally time for lunch. As the students left the classrooms to gather in the dining-room, Iwaizumi's phone silently vibrated in his pocket. As he reached for it, he waved at Daichi and Suga who had also exited their respective classrooms to help in the dining-room.

He looked down at his phone and saw he had a new email. He frowned confused.

>> Hi Iwaizumi! I hope you're doing okay! When would you like to meet? :)

Iwaizumi looked around as if he could find the answers to the many questions that were running through his head on the children or the walls that surrounded him.

>> Uh... Who is this?

He replied.

"Everything okay?" Daichi walked next to him, and Suga poked his head from Daichi's side, also looking at Iwaizumi with curiosity.

"Yeah I just got a-" Before Iwaizumi could finish the sentence his phone rang again.

>> Oh! I'm so silly! I'm Oikawa. The idiot who dropped your coffee this morning. >.> Iwaizumi? I got the right number right? It's the one on your card...

Iwaizumi groaned "So annoying..." He said between his teeth.

Daichi rose one eyebrow "May I ask you something?" He said while Suga walked away to help out a poor student who had been trying to pour himself some water, but the jar was too heavy and he was making a mess.

"Sure thing." Iwaizumi said while replying to the email.

>> Yes, I'm Iwaizumi. Nice to meet you, Oikawa.

He wasn't even sure of what to write back.

Daichi cleared his throat. "Well, there's something I don't understand." He said almost choosing every word with care.

Iwaizumi looked at him with slight surprise, only one thing he didn't understand? damn, well he better be the one asking questions because he didn't understand any of it. "Go on?"

"Well..." Daichi began to speak "I just don't get why you find him so annoying." He shrugged.

Iwaizumi looked at Daichi for a while, thinking. "I..." He tilted his head with a frown. "I'm not sure, I think if you met him, you'd find him annoying too." He said, his voice sounding decisive but in his mind he wasn't very sure. "But to be honest, I'm just confused." He shrugged.

"Well to me it's pretty clear. If I dropped someone's coffee on their clothes, I'd feel guilty as hell too, and probably do what he's doing." he shrugged.

Iwaizumi sighed, looking at it from his perspective did indeed make sense. Then why on earth was he so confused and grumpy about it?

His phone buzzed.

>> Nice to meet you too!! Would it be okay tomorrow morning? Or maybe instead of coffee you'd like an after-work drink? :)

What was this guy's thing for emoticons? And going for a drink? Iwaizumi looked up at Daichi who had been reading as well. If it wasn't because of how close their friendship was, he would have probably told him to back off. But it was common for Daichi or Suga to take a peak and sometimes make fun of him for a weird text or something.

"Well..." Daichi began to speak, "What are you gonna say to that?"

Iwaizumi frowned "I don't know! I didn't even want to go for coffee with him!"

"Go for coffee with whom?" Bokuto appeared behind them.

"Some random guy that dropped his coffee on Iwaizumi this morning, and somehow he finds him unusually annoying." Daichi explained amused.

Before Iwaizumi could protest to his friend telling everyone about the incident, Bokuto interrupted him, "Unusually annoying? How does Iwaizumi find a grown up -unusually- annoying?" He asked with genuine curiosity.

Daichi shrugged "I don't know, but he finds this person VERY annoying." He chuckled.

Iwaizumi groaned "I will just tell him to forget about it. It was a silly incident." As he was about to begin typing, someone took the phone from his hands.

"Oh he offered a drink?" Bokuto had the phone in front of his eyes and was reading the last email, "I wish my cute barista offered me a drink" He pouted and shook his head.

The idea of Bokuto comparing his crush to this random annoying stranger made Iwaizumi's cheeks somehow feel warm. He cleared his throat quickly and tried to grab his phone. "Bokuto, give me my phone back!" He ordered.

"I think you should go. Why won't you go? It's a free drink." He said handing Iwaizumi his phone back.

Daichi chuckled "Technically it's not free since he wasted his morning coffee."

Bokuto shrugged "True, but it still feels like a free thing."

Daichi shrugged and nodded agreeing. "I also think you should go."

Iwaizumi looked at him surprised "What??"

"Well I just find it interesting how much the guy annoys you, and you don't even know the reason. Sure you say if I knew the guy he'd annoy me too, but this level of annoyance is unusual in you. Maybe this will help you figure out why he annoys you so much." He explained.

"I've lost the count of how many times you've said the word 'annoy' right now." Bokuto said shaking his head.

Iwaizumi scratched the back of his head "Yeah... I guess you're right... But a drink?" He hesitated and looked back at his friends in search for an answer.

"You're far grumpier in the morning, maybe a clear head and the feeling of ease with the alcohol will help you find the answer more clearly?" This time, it was Suga who spoke, he was kneeling down by one of the youngest students, cleaning his face from all the pudding he had been spreading on his cheeks.

Iwaizumi and the other two men looked at him, and then back at Iwaizumi before nodding. They both agreed with Suga, and Iwaizumi had to admit Suga's idea made sense.

"Okay... Well, I guess a drink tonight won't do any harm. If anything goes wrong, then we can just forget it all and have a clean start tomorrow morning." He said almost to himself, and they all nodded.

>> A drink tonight would be ok. 9:30 pm? There's a small bar on the street where you bathed me in my own coffee.

Iwaizumi sighed as he pressed sent, he looked up and realized his friends were watching him, expectant of the reply. He was about to send them off when his phone buzzed in his hand.

>> Perfect! I will see you there! ^.^

"Ohohoh!" Bokuto exclaimed loudly.

"Leave him alone, Bokuto." Suga said trying to stick up for Iwaizumi, but his giggles didn't help his intentions at all.

Iwaizumi groaned in annoyance and walked off to take care of his students. He liked their company a lot more.


	2. A Bad Way of Not Caring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "No Iwaizumi, it's not the alcohol. You're blushing. You've been doing that for a while. Blushing and frowning before looking down at your drink." He continued to giggle.

The last student was finally picked up, and as the door closed hitting the soft bell above it for the last time, everyone let out a loud sigh. Iwaizumi stretched his arms above his head and yawned loudly.

Daichi let himself fall on the reception's chair, leaning his head back "Well the day is finally over..." He said smiling at Suga who nodded eagerly before shooting a glance at Iwaizumi.

"Well not for all of us..." He said in a cheeky tone.

The three men turned to him with questioning looks, but before they could ask what he meant, Kiyoko emerged from her office.

"Thank you so much, everyone, for helping me again." She said barely looking up from her tablet and walking towards the desk in front of Daichi and leaning on it.

"Our pleasure, as always." Daichi replied with a soft smile, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"You should call it a day as well, Kiyoko." Suga suggested with a soft voice. He always had a motherly tone when he talked to the people he worried about on a personal level.

Kiyoko shook her head "I have some things to take care of, you can all go whenever you want. I'll close the school."

It was both a habit and tradition for her to offer herself to close the school and let them leave early, but in truth that's the way it had been from the beginning. Kiyoko was the purest definition of -workaholic-, no one had seen her outside of the school, or without that damn tablet in her hands and her eyes piercing the screen with so much intensity the glass seemed to be on the verge of cracking.

She stood up again and as she began to walk back into her office, she half-turned to them "Good luck tonight, Iwaizumi. I hope this doesn't ruin your day any further." She said before continuing to walk.

They all stood in complete silence until Iwaizumi finally spoke, "Seriously?" He looked at them, "You've told Kiyoko as well?" He tried to sound angry, but it was considerably hard since part of him felt the soft kindness that Kiyoko had tried to show with her departing words.

Suga shrugged with a smirk plastered on his face, "Well, we are a relatively small school, you can't expect us to not hear or talk about the mysterious man that ruined your day!"

Iwaizumi frowned and crossed his arms, "Well I'd understand that if it was some random topic to bring up, but there's really nothing extraordinary about this."

Bokuto nodded and looked at Suga, "He's right tho, hearing about a stranger ruining Iwaizumi's day is more common than being told my little Natsu is running around the hallways and screaming again."

Natsu was one of Bokuto's students. She was very well known by pretty much anyone for her random outbursts of energy and you could often find her running through the hallways, screaming about something as ordinary as the sunrise. Bokuto loved that about her.

Daichi rose to his feet and as he grabbed his coat from the hanger, he looked at Bokuto "That's true, but we are talking about a stranger who did ruin Iwaizumi's day but Iwaizumi's response was to give him his email address."

Suga nodded in agreement, and Bokuto's mouth fell open before emitting an owlish sound of "ooooh...."

Iwaizumi couldn't possibly find himself more at a loss with the conversation. "Can someone please explain what you're talking about?"

"Don't worry, Iwaizumi. Daichi is only trying to get Bokuto off your back." Suga whispered to him while handing him his coat.

Iwaizumi groaned feeling as if he was still missing something, but there was no point in asking any further. He decided to nod and put on his coat.

The four men exited through the main door, and as the cold wind hit their faces they all shook a little, raising the neck from their coats. The fresh morning weather had nothing to do with the cold evenings they were having in Tokyo.

Iwaizumi turned to them, "Well then, I better be off otherwise I'll be late."

Bokuto nodded "Okay, I'll leave for home now as well, I have some cleaning up to do and I want to get a proper planning for tomorrow's lesson."

Suga and Daichi smiled at them both and waved goodbye "See you tomorrow!" they spoke in unison remaining at the school's front door while Iwaizumi and Bokuto parted in opposite ways.

Iwaizumi arrived at the bar 15 minutes earlier. He walked in and inspected the room to see if maybe this Oikawa had arrived as well, only to find the place a bit crowded but no trace of him. The room was dark and the air was thick because of the smoke and the drunken aura. It wasn't precisely quiet but it wasn't loud either, Iwaizumi found it comfortable, and even more when he was about to meet a complete stranger he had just 'met' that very same morning.

He walked to the end of the bar, and sat on one of the booths by the window, he liked to watch the people walk by and observe how busy or bored they looked. It made him feel distant and isolated from that side of the world, even though he was part of it every once in a while.

As he took off his jacket and set it on his side, one of the waiters walked up to him with a tray under his arm, "What would you like to order, sir?" He asked with a bright smile but exhausted eyes.

Iwaizumi looked up to him and as he rolled his sleeves back just below his elbows he replied "A glass of whiskey would be fine, no ice. Thank you."

The waiter nodded and walked away. Iwaizumi sighed, as he smelled the scent of the cigarettes coming from some of the other clients at the bar. He used to be a smoker himself, but quit after his students had asked him at school what were those 'sticks' that he so eagerly had every day during lunch.

He never felt like he was a bad influence on his students or anything of the sort. But he felt ashamed of himself having to reply to a question like that, and thought maybe it would be better to just quit. Something that makes you feel embarrassed can't be a good thing, right?

Either way, he still missed it. But before he could give in to temptation and buy a pack, the waiter soon came back with the thick glass on his tray. He set it on the table in front of him, and bowed "If you'd like anything else, please don't hesitate on letting me know."

Iwaizumi nodded with a faint smile and grabbed the glass, taking it to his lips. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sharp taste of the alcohol as it ran through his palate and tongue, and made its way down his throat, leaving the burning sensation long after it was gone.

"I hope I'm not late!" Iwaizumi heard the flop of someone sitting on the leather seat in front of him, and as he opened his eyes he found perfect-hair-Oikawa sitting right there. He glanced down at his watch and saw it was barely 8:55.

"No, you're five minutes early." Iwaizumi's voice sounded rustier than he'd expected.

Oikawa's eyes widened and he smiled "Great! although it's not fair that you've already bought your own drink." He pouted.

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow and looked at the glass in his hand, "As I said, you really don't have to worry about paying me back for the coffee. It was a silly accident, no need to drag this any longer."

Oikawa looked at him surprised for a few seconds, but then tilted his head, "Well if you're so sure of that, then why didn't you tell me this on an email instead of agreeing to meet me for a drink?"

Iwaizumi froze in place unsure of what to say. He didn't want Oikawa to get any ideas, yet at the same time, he was trying to find the answer himself. Why did he agree to meet? Sure, Daichi suggested using this opportunity to try to figure out why Oikawa annoyed him so much but was that really the reason? Or maybe he gave in to peer pressure? No, Iwaizumi wasn't the kind to do that...

Never in his life had Iwaizumi appreciated the intrusion of a waiter ready to take the order more than he did just then. "Would you like to order something, sir?" He asked Oikawa with the kind voice he had done to Iwaizumi moment earlier.

Oikawa turned to the waiter and smiled "A Sex on the Beach, please."

The man nodded and left. Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow wondering what kind of order that was but decided not to say anything. Oikawa only looked back at him and smiled.

"I see you've changed clothes! Good, I was worried you might catch a cold wearing a wet shirt around Tokyo in the middle of Autumn." He said placing his hand on his chest and looking relieved.

It's not Autumn yet, Iwaizumi thought to himself feeling annoyed. Although he had to admit it did feel like it.

"Yes, I usually keep spare clothes at work, so I changed as soon as I arrived." He replied taking another sip of his drink.

Oikawa tilted his head "Ohh! what do you do?"

Iwaizumi cleared his throat and set the glass back on the table "I'm a kindergarten teacher."

Oikawa couldn't help but snort loudly. Iwaizumi frowned.

"I'm sorry, I just expected anything but that 'I'm a kindergarten teacher'" Oikawa repeated imitating Iwaizumi's thick tone of voice and frowning. Iwaizumi couldn't help but wonder if he really looked that grumpy.

"Well, predictable or not, I am excellent at my job." He said feeling a bit defensive.

"Oh I don't doubt that. It just took me by surprise." Oikawa shrugged. "I'm sure you're adorable with kids." He smiled radiantly.

Iwaizumi nodded forward "What do you do? I mean aside from not looking where you're going and dropping people's drinks on their shirts."

Oikawa dropped his head and sighed, "I'm really sorry about that, honestly. My friend has been teasing me about it the entire day."

Iwaizumi shook his head in dismissal, but after a while he spoke, "Do you buy a drink for all the strangers you accidentally collide with?" He asked with genuine curiosity.

Oikawa laughed and shook his head "Not really no, but I do buy a drink for all the cute strangers I accidentally collide with." He said in complete ease, almost not noticing what he had just said.

Iwaizumi could feel his cheeks slightly heating up; the alcohol must be getting to him. He could feel Oikawa's eyes now looking at him. Before any of them could say anything, the waiter returned with Oikawa's drink.

"There you go..." He said talking to himself. "Anything else?"

Oikawa turned to him and nodded "Yeah, I owe this gentleman a drink, but no need to rush. We have time." He smiled and looked back at Iwaizumi, "Right?"

Was he asking, or telling him to agree? And who was he to decide how much longer he wanted to stay there sitting with someone so annoying? But it was true he had nothing else to do, so Iwaizumi cleared his throat and nodded "Yes, nothing for now. Maybe later." He said, hoping not to sound too agreeable with Oikawa's perception.

The waiter nodded and walked away once more, leaving Oikawa taking a sip of his drink using his long pink straw and emitting a soft moan of pleasure. Iwaizumi felt goosebumps at the sight. The alcohol, he thought again.

"Really? A Sex on the Beach?" He asked trying to distract his mind, and almost in disbelief as he looked at the many ornaments that lied on the glass, buried in the drink or hanging over the edge.

Oikawa looked at him "Well yeah! if it's done properly, it kinda tastes like fruit loops. Wanna try?" His smile was wide as he pushed the glass slightly forward towards Iwaizumi.

Really? He's offering his own drink to a stranger?

Iwaizumi shook his head "You don't even know me."

Oikawa tilted his head, resting his chin on his palm, "Well I do, just not too much. We know each other's names, what we do for a living..."

"You haven't told me what you do." Iwaizumi interrupted him. Not like he cared anyways, he just wanted to prove this idiot wrong.

Oikawa widened his eyes "Oh! You’re right! Well, I'm an actor." He said cheerfully and with a hint of pride.

"I've never heard of any famous Oikawa." Iwaizumi replied in a dull tone.

Oikawa looked at him with a fake expression of offense, "Well yeah, I'm not a big-time actor... Yet!" He said eagerly, "But I'm working on it. I just started, and I already have my first job!" He explained.

"Really?" Iwaizumi asked not showing any interest but not stopping Oikawa from explaining any further.

"Well yeah, my new agent got me one of the main roles for a stage play that will be going all around the Kantō and Kansai prefectures!" He said proudly, "It's kind of scary because as I said it's my first job, but I'm so excited I can't stop telling people about it!"

"I can see that..." Iwaizumi said with a low voice. "So the man that was with you this morning is your agent?"

Oikawa looked at him confused "What? Kuroo?? Nooo!" He laughed, "He works with me, well we share the same agency, and he's also going to be part of this play. But my agent is so scary..." He shook as if he had just felt shivers run down his spine.

"Ah..." Iwaizumi replied and looked away.

"What?" Oikawa tilted his head with curiosity.

"Nothing." Iwaizumi replied sternly before taking another sip of his drink and finishing his glass.

Oikawa giggled and drank a bit more of his Sex on the Beach. "So your name is Iwaizumi, and you're a grumpy kindergarten teacher with a taste for whiskey... That's an odd mix." He giggled again.

Iwaizumi looked at him and shrugged "Well you're a clumsy actor, with an affinity for drinks that taste like cereal." He felt like he already knew too much about this man and all he wanted to do was to get out of there.

"Well true." Oikawa nodded "But I am an extremely handsome yet sometimes clumsy actor, with an affinity for drinks that taste like the best cereal in the world." He corrected.

See? Too much information. Iwaizumi didn't want to know his favorite kind of cereal, he didn't want to know why he liked Sex on the Beach so much, and he surely didn't want to-

"Maybe I should also correct my description of you and add that you're a grumpy yet overwhelmingly attractive kindergarten teacher." Oikawa added interrupting Iwaizumi's line of thought.

Iwaizumi could feel the cold sweat from his palms, his mouth drying up as he looked down at his glass hoping he had been wrong earlier when he thought he finished his drink and maybe with a bit of luck he'd find a few more drops to help him out. But his glass was empty, and Oikawa stared at him with a sweet smile yet piercing eyes.

"I think this would be an appropriate time for me to buy you another glass of whiskey." He finished, raising his hand to call their waiter.

While Oikawa ordered Iwaizumi's drink, Iwaizumi glanced at his phone; part of him wanting to check the time and part of him hoping he would have loads of text messages talking about some sort of emergency that would get him out of there at the speed of light with a proper excuse. His phone was clear. No emergency.

He glanced up at the waiter, almost as a plea for help, but the waiter was too entangled between Oikawa's smile and his daring eyes. He had a confusing smile. Talk about being an odd mix, Oikawa was a great example of one. Sweet and childish attitude, yet his eyes... His words... Iwaizumi didn't like it.

As the waiter walked away with the order, Oikawa looked back at Iwaizumi, "Are you alright?"

Iwaizumi nodded slowly, "Yeah, I should go home soon, though..."

Oikawa chuckled and waved his hand in dismissal "Oh, of course, I don't plan on Keeping you here forever. Once I pay for your drink our business will be over." He assured Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi felt a relieve leaving his chest, he wasn't sure why he felt so averted to the idea of spending more time with Oikawa, or why he was so relieved to know their 'business' would soon come to an end. But there was a small part of him, very deep inside of him that made him feel nervous, as if he wouldn't be able to control his actions and follow his conscious. Regardless of how he felt or what he thought, he knew Oikawa meant bad news.

"Unless..." Oikawa continued, "you'd like to meet again in the future." He shrugged and looked away to see if the waiter was somewhere near arriving with the drinks. Almost making what he had just said seem as naive and usual as if he had just asked Iwaizumi to give him the time.

"I..." Iwaizumi began, his cheeks feeling like they were getting warmer. "Why would we meet again?" He blurted out.

Oikawa bit the side of his cheeks and shrugged "I don't know, I think you're nice and interesting, I wouldn't mind getting to know you better..." He said as if he was holding something back.

"You wouldn't mind getting to know me better?" Iwaizumi repeated. Why would he say something like that? Iwaizumi did mind whether they got to meet better or not, he didn't even want to get to know him as much as he already did! Why would he go any further?

Oikawa chuckled and shook his head "Well I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd like to have the chance to get to know you better." He said firmly.

The waiter arrived with Iwaizumi's glass of whiskey. Seriously if it wasn't because Japan wasn't big on tipping, Iwaizumi would be leaving a large sum of money for this nice man who showed up at the best times. Part of him wanted to throw bills on him, stripper style.

Oikawa turned to the waiter and smiled at him "Could you please bring me the check for both my drink and his?" He asked politely.

The man nodded with a smile, already taking out a small piece of paper. He handed it over to Oikawa, who took it very delicately, and quickly read through it, "I'm sorry," He looked back at the waiter, "But my drink is not on the bill."

The waiter's cheeks turned completely red as he shook his head, "No, the Sex on the Beach is on the house." He said trying to look away from them.

"Oh!" Oikawa giggled and gently touched the waiter's arm "Well, thank you so much!" He reached down his pocket and took out the money to pay for Iwaizumi's drink.

As soon as the waiter walked off looking too nervous to know what else to say, Oikawa turned back to Iwaizumi and giggled a bit more, "Are you okay, Iwaizumi? You suddenly look very serious."

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, he suddenly looked very serious? then how on earth did he look before? He didn't answer and decided to take a sip from his glass, well more like he gulped down half of it.

Oikawa simply sighed with a smile while staring at the empty end of his glass. He began to toy with one of the small umbrellas made out of paper that was meant to decorate his drink. Iwaizumi could see his soft hands and his neat fingernails opening and closing the small ornament, his thin wrist holding a fine watch that seemed too luxurious for someone who had just started their acting career. Even his clothes, as Iwaizumi noticed for the first time, were perfectly neat with not a single spot on them, and the brands could be categorized as expensive.

Iwaizumi's eyes moved up to Oikawa's neck, his skin looked like marble under the bar's light, and the perfection of it made him look like even more of a doll. His hair fell perfectly everywhere, with the occasional twirls and twist. Small bangs covered Oikawa's forehead, and a few hairs had gone over one of his eyes, hiding the dark and twisted chocolate flavor that indulged anyone that looked into them.

Just as Iwaizumi was looking at his pink thin lips, his heart skipped a beat as Oikawa moved them and his voice resounded on the booth "Why are you watching me, Iwaizumi?" He asked, voice low and coarse, right before forming a smirk.

Oikawa's eyes moved up to meet Iwaizumi's, but just as they did so, Iwaizumi's eyes fell down back on his glass. "I'm just curious, how does a man with expensive clothes like yours can say his career as an actor has only begun." He lied. He didn't give two shits about his clothes. But he also didn't know why he was looking at him so closely, and just saying -I don't know- wouldn't help.

Oikawa's eyebrows rose before he chuckled and shook his head, "Well, I might be a rookie actor, but I still have a family." He answered, clearly not wanting to go into detail.

"Ah." Iwaizumi nodded. He didn't care.

"Although I have to say, I think this shirt was a present from a past relationship." Oikawa added with a tone of indifference, but his eyes watched Iwaizumi's reaction closely.

"It's a nice shirt." He didn't care.

"Thank you, I mean I guess they did know my taste very well." Oikawa continued, almost as if he was dropping small stones, hoping for something to happen.

"That's good." He didn't care. He didn't care. He didn't care.

"I have a good taste, I'd say." He chuckled, "Wouldn't you agree with me? I like fine clothes, weird drinks, and grumpy kindergarten teachers." He giggled and rested his chin on his palm.

Iwaizumi didn't care. He didn't care about his refined taste in clothes, drinks or-.

Iwaizumi looked up to him, his cheeks were now burning up. He looked down at his glass, but just as he was about to curse at the alcohol, Oikawa spoke one more time.

"No Iwaizumi, it's not the alcohol. You're blushing. You've been doing that for a while. Blushing and frowning before looking down at your drink." He continued to giggle.

Iwaizumi shot him an angry glare before gulping down the remaining bits of his drink. If the drink wasn't to blame he might as well get this over with. "I finished my drink. Are we done here?" He asked still feeling the burn running down his throat.

Oikawa nodded eagerly, "We are." He rose to his feet and waited for Iwaizumi to do so as well. They both put on their coats and walked to the door. Oikawa waved goodbye and winked at their waiter, who almost dropped the glass he had in his hands before waving back.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes and opened the door. It was cold, but he could barely feel it thanks to the two glasses of whiskey he had drank in less than an hour. He glanced at Oikawa who was looking at his phone. "Well then... Goodbye."

Oikawa looked up to him in surprise and chuckled, he put his hands inside his pockets and nodded "I guess this is goodbye."

Iwaizumi nodded, Oikawa nodded again, but neither of them moved.

"You have my email right?" Iwaizumi began to feel more drowsy by the alcohol and the sudden cold weather, it took him a few seconds to realize it was his own voice who had spoken those words.

Oikawa tilted his head "I do."

Iwaizumi nodded, he didn't know what else to say, or why he had said that to begin with.

"...Do you want me to email you again sometime?" Oikawa asked, half-singing the question.

Iwaizumi cleared his throat and shrugged "I don't care."

What? Really? Out of all the things he didn't care, this was NOT one of them.

Oikawa simply chuckled "I'll take that as a yes then..." He glanced up to Iwaizumi before chuckling again.

Iwaizumi was avoiding eye contact, looking at either the ground or the road in front of them. "Goodbye then." He bowed before turning around and walking away. His legs moved fast, he just wanted to get out of there. He felt he was losing control of himself, and not precisely because of the alcohol. Sure he was becoming drowsier and sleepy, but one thing is barely being able to articulate your words, and another is blurting out things you never thought you'd find yourself saying because you don't even think about them!

Why would he ask Oikawa if he still had his email? of course, he did! He just gave it to him that very same day! and why would he say he didn't mind if Oikawa texted him or not? He did mind, he didn't want to continue talking to him!

Iwaizumi arrived at his apartment, and after only taking off his coat and shoes, he walked into his bedroom and dropped down on his bed, instantly falling asleep.

\------

Iwaizumi found himself back in the bar, Oikawa sitting in front of him with his stupid flamboyant drink, while giggling and talking about something stupid.

Iwaizumi looked around, everything looked foggy but the people around him were familiar. Daichi was sitting on one of the stools, chatting away with Suga just before turning around to him and shaking his head. "You better run, Iwaizumi." Daichi said, pointing at Oikawa and laughing, "He means bad news. You know this. You've been here before."

"Don't listen to him." This time, it was Suga talking to Iwaizumi. "You're always working and taking life too seriously. It's about time you follow your desires. Your needs..."

"My desires? My needs?" Iwaizumi looked around, trying to figure out how the hell he got to that place, and why were his friends in there.

"Iwaizumi? Why do you look so serious all of a sudden?" Oikawa's voice resounded in Iwaizumi's head, and as he turned around to look at him, they weren't at the bar anymore. Oikawa was standing right in front of him, so close Iwaizumi could smell the scent of his Sex on the Beach on his breath. Oikawa leaned forward until his lips gently brushed Iwaizumi's ear, "You do care..." He whispered softly. "You know there's a chance I'm not like him..."

Iwaizumi shook his head, "No." He mumbled, his eyes closed as if he feared seeing Oikawa stand so close to him.

Oikawa chuckled softly before speaking again "You want --..." His voice dropped lower with the last word, Iwaizumi couldn't make out what he was saying.

"What?" He mumbled again, almost in a whisper.

"You want --..." Oikawa repeated, still not saying the last word loud enough for Iwaizumi to hear.

Suddenly a loud beeping noise resounded in Iwaizumi's head, and as he opened his eyes he was back in his room, lying on his bed with a pool of drool right next to his face. He sat up in a jump and looked at his watch.

"Oh my god..." He sighed, rubbing his face before rising to his feet and walking to the bathroom to get ready for work.

\-------

Iwaizumi opened the main door of Sunshine Park Academy, Suga and Daichi were sitting at the Reception desk, waiting for him. "Morning sunshine," Suga spoke cheerfully.

Iwaizumi turned to him with a frown and groaned in response as he hanged his coat.

"I see you didn't have a very well evening..." Daichi said crossing his arms. "What happened?"

Iwaizumi turned to them "I don't know."

"What? He didn't show up?" Daichi asked as he exchanged glances with Suga.

"No, it's not that. He did show up." Iwaizumi said just as Bokuto came through the door, with his coffee in one hand and his usual I-still-haven't-asked-him-his-name-so-please-don't-ask face.

Just as the four men were settling into their places to welcome the soon arriving children, Iwaizumi explained to them, in as much detail as possible, everything that had happened the night before. Everything except his dream.

"Hmmm... Iwaizumi..." Suga sighed, "You really are a dense man..." The two other men laughed as he said that while Iwaizumi frowned.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked half-concerned.

"When was the last time you liked someone, Iwaizumi?" Bokuto spoke.

"Uhh... Well, I like you guys." Iwaizumi shrugged.

"Well yeah" Bokuto chuckled "But I mean like-like"

Iwaizumi titled his head in confusion, "I don't follow."

"He means when was the last time you were sexually attracted to someone." Kiyoko's voice startled them. She was standing by one of the windows, tablet in hand, as per usual.

Iwaizumi's cheeks were burning, this time, he knew he was blushing because it was impossible to imagine any other reaction coming out of him when his boss had just bluntly asked him something like that. "Uh I-I gu-guess..." He stuttered. As much as he tried to figure out the answer, he couldn't come up with anything. He only remembered his ex-girlfriend from high school, a relationship that ended horribly after he realized he wasn't attracted to her at all. So did that mean he had never been attracted to anyone?

No... that wasn't right, he had been attracted to someone else after that. Someone he didn't wish to remember and he had worked on forgetting for the past years. But now it seemed like everything was coming back to him. "I guess in my third year of university..." He mumbled "there was someone..."

His mind wandered off to his university years where he had found himself head over heels for his roommate's best friend. "What does this have to do with anything?" He asked to interrupt his line of thought. He didn't wish to go back to such foul memories.

"Iwaizumi, did you like this person from the beginning?" Suga asked raising an eyebrow, talking slowly and peacefully, almost as if he was taking slow steps towards a frightened deer.

Iwaizumi shrugged "No, I obviously didn't."

"Did you appreciate them? In any way?" Daichi continued teaming up with Suga in his deer-approaching manner.

Iwaizumi tilted his head before frowning, "No."

Bokuto smirked "Would you say... You hated them? More than you usually hate other people? and for no clear reason?" If Bokuto saw the deer that Suga and Daichi did, he had just run towards it, screaming and swinging his arms wildly.

Iwaizumi opened his eyes and could feel his hands shaking. "I..." He whispered, feeling all the air escape through his lungs and get trapped in a ball of pain along his throat. "What?..." He tried to pretend he didn't understand, but his reaction was far too obvious.

His chest felt like it was going to explode, and at the same time, it felt like there wasn't enough air in the room for him to fill up his lungs. He looked around, feeling his legs now shake as well, almost as if they were about to give in with the weight of his body. "I..." He tried again but this time, it wasn't even a whisper, only a choked out sound of his held back scream.

"Bokuto, take him to the back, he's having a panic attack." Iwaizumi turned to Kiyoko who had ordered this to Bokuto. Her face was serious, and she was staring at him putting her tablet away.

A panic attack? What? He wasn't... Before he could say anything, Bokuto was gently moving him towards the back of the school, his face was serious and he remained silent throughout the way. Strangely enough, Iwaizumi followed without complaint, almost as if it went too fast for him to even say anything at all.

The back of the school was a considerably big yard that formed the student's playground. Bokuto sat on one of the benches and Iwaizumi lied next to him, his head on Bokuto's lap. His throat was burning like the night before; he could almost taste the whiskey on his tongue, except there wasn't any trace of it. His breathing was fast and although he was trying to focus on why was this happening to him and why on earth Bokuto was so damn quiet, he could barely get a thought straight through his head that didn't involve the latest conversation.

Finally after a few minutes of silence and once he could feel his breath evening up, Bokuto looked down at him, "Are you alright?" He asked with a low voice.

Iwaizumi nodded and sat back up, sighing and rubbing his face.

"Want to talk about it?" Bokuto asked looking at him and tilting his head, "If you don't want me to tell the others you know I won't. Regardless of how small this school is."

Iwaizumi shook his head, "I don't care if they know or not..." His voice was a low whisper, one of his legs was shaking up and down nervously, and his hands gripped tightly on the edge of the bench. "But If I talk about it, I'd rather not do it when I'm about to take care of children and do it with a drink in my hand." He finished.

Bokuto listened and then nodded, "Very well then, this calls for an official Sunshine Park Academy meeting, and a very important one since there must be booze." He said trying to cheer up the mood. "I will tell the others we are meeting... Tonight?" He asked.

Iwaizumi nodded, "Tonight is fine."

"Very well then. Come on, let's go wash your face and switch gears for the tiny humans." He said cheerfully standing up and extending his hands to him.

Iwaizumi took it and followed him to the bathroom, wondering how on earth he was going to tell them about his university love life, and explain how the sole scratch of the surface of those memories drove him into a panic attack at 8 in the morning.

But most importantly, he wondered how would he be able to talk about that man when he hadn't done it since his graduation day...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone <333 Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	3. The Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Wait wait wait... Are you telling me you had sex with this bad boy the second you met him?" Bokuto asked with wide eyes. The rest of the group watched Iwaizumi, with their glasses half-full and mouths wide open.
> 
> Iwaizumi groaned "Yes. That's exactly what happened. I know I was a reckless little shit, no need to point that out."
> 
> Bokuto shook his head "No man, it's kinda hot. I didn't know you were like that."
> 
> "I agree..." Suga mumbled, and Daichi and Kiyoko nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags and character list have changed! Please check the additions before reading <3

Iwaizumi let out a loud sigh. He really wanted a cigarette right then, and he was not only going to stay strong about his promise of quitting such embarrassing habit, but they were also still in the academy. Whenever they had a 'Sunshine Park Academy official meeting' (or, at least, that's how Bokuto liked to call them and, therefore, that became the official name), they usually gathered in one of Bokuto's classrooms.

The reason for this was because his classrooms were often surrounded by pillows and the ground itself was cushioned, making it easier for them to pass out and spend a comfortable night in case they had drunk far too much. Something Iwaizumi was planning on doing that night.

Once they had all finished cleaning up the rest of the school to leave it in proper order for the weekend, and once they had gotten back from one of the closest convenience stores to bring some alcohol and snacks, they all sat around one of the small tables and began to pour their drinks.

"Iwaizumi if you don't want to talk about this, you don't have to. We'll understand." Daichi pointed out before Iwaizumi could even start.

Iwaizumi shook his head, "It's alright, it's part of the past anyways..." Or so he wanted to believe. He hadn't talked about this with anyone at all, and the only ones that knew what happened back then were two people and himself. He took a big sip from his whiskey and thanked God it was Saturday, he would need a lot of drinking to get through with this, and so far he didn't even know where to begin with.

"So who was this person you liked?" Suga asked out of the blue, almost as if he knew how at loss Iwaizumi found himself in.

"Well..." Iwaizumi cleared his throat, "His name was... Is Terushima." The sole mention of his name, speaking it out loud, forming the words and moving his lips to let his own voice give life to such name made his skin crawl.

Although talking about this topic made him feel overwhelmingly uneasy, he was glad his friends were understanding and wouldn't judge him at all. He rarely felt comfortable enough to mention that he liked men, but with them it was like mentioning the weather. After all, Bokuto was the one who started this easy-going vibe among them, bursting through the door one morning screaming he was in love with the cute barista that worked a few blocks away shows that kind of thing.

It was relieving not only to have someone who's sexual mechanism worked the same way but to see how easy-going everyone reacted to that. No one really made a big fuss about it, and if anything they are more worried about Bokuto having a breakdown if the barista left his job without getting his name first than him being attracted to a man.

"Was he your boyfriend?" Suga asked tilting his head before taking a sip from his beer.

Iwaizumi shook his head, "Well sort of... I'm not sure..." He sighed.

"I think instead of answering random questions, it's best if you start from the beginning." Kiyoko pointed out. She was usually in her own world, or staying late for work and declining their invitations to join them for drinks. There was a lot that the group didn't know about Kiyoko, and although their curiosity had turned her into a mystery for them, they accepted it was her privacy. They were glad she at least never missed any of the 'Sunshine Park Academy Official Meetings'.

Iwaizumi nodded and gulped down half his glass. "Well..." He began, "It all started back in my second year of University..."

\---------

"Matsukawa, are you sure it's a good idea? I don't know any of these people, and you've said you only know a few of them..." Iwaizumi had never been big on parties, let alone during his week of exams. He had been studying like crazy throughout the past weeks, and his roommate Matsukawa insisted on going to a party to lighten up the mood and get some fresh air.

"I told you this will be good for you, it can't be healthy to stay locked up in the same room for weeks reading the same papers over and over again." Matsukawa laughed squinting his small black eyes, and ruffling his messy brown hair as he moved towards the house's door. "Besides, I do know a good amount of people that will be at the party."

Iwaizumi sighed and followed him, they were already there so there was no point in complaining anymore. Matsukawa knocked loudly on the door hoping it would be heard from the inside since the music was loud enough for them to hear the lyrics as clearly as if they were on the inside. Soon enough, a tall man with a serious glance looked down on them.

"Ah! Īzaka! How are you doing?" Matsukawa asked in a cheerful tone. Īzaka nodded before moving to the side so they could walk into the house.

"Everything's going well, what about you? Is this your roommate?" He glanced at Iwaizumi.

Matsukawa looked back at Iwaizumi as well and nodded "Yes, he needed a break from studying for his exams, so I brought him with me. Is everyone here already?"

Īzaka shrugged and closed the door after them, "I don't know, people come and go, and some of them are strangers who heard from someone else who heard from someone else about this party. Not like I care anyways. This isn't even my house." He shrugged and without saying anything else he walked away.

Iwaizumi looked at Matsukawa, who was already walking towards the living room where most of the noise came from. He followed him and soon found himself surrounded by a bunch of strangers he had never even crossed paths with at university.

"Matsukawa! Matsuuuun!!" A stranger's voice resounded even above the music, and after a few seconds, a tall blond man was throwing himself on Matsukawa's back, "I was starting to think you wouldn't show up!" Iwaizumi could see a piercing shining from the stranger's ear and another one on his tongue. His golden eyes shone like the sun, hypnotizing Iwaizumi to not look away. "Oh, who are you?" He asked bluntly after noticing Iwaizumi's stare.

Iwaziumi cleared his throat and looked away "I'm Iwaizumi, Matsukawa's roommate..." He couldn't help but have a bad feeling about this man. Something wasn't right, and part of him wanted to get out of that house, running for his life and not looking back.

"Terushima don't be rude." Matsukawa nudged him on the ribs with his elbows.

Terushima looked back at Matsukawa and laughed "Like I care." He shook his head "Why don't you go get rid of that coat and grab us some drinks?" He said to Matsukawa, who only rolled his eyes and nodded leaving Iwaizumi completely alone with this rude stranger that did nothing but emit bad vibes.

As soon as Matsukawa was out of sight Terushima turned to Iwaizumi, his goofy smile gone leaving a place to a suggestive smirk. "Tell me, Iwaizumi, what do you think if we ditch this party, make your dear roommate wait for a little, and we go upstairs to my room and have sex?" His golden eyes shone brightly, almost turning into fire.

Iwaizumi gulped "Wh-what?"

"Oh come on, I'm bored as hell and even hornier than I thought. What do you say?" He walked closer to Iwaizumi, he could smell the alcohol in his breath and the stench of cigarettes in his clothes. "Come on..." He moved his hand to Iwaizumi's hip and gently moved him towards the stairs. Iwaizumi didn't protest, and let himself be guided towards Terushima's room. It was as if he didn't have any control over his body, maybe that's the frightening warning his subconscious was giving him?

He didn't know, the only thing he knew was that he suddenly found himself in Terushima's bed, moaning and loving every trace of skin he licked, touched, or bit. Loving his smell and his voice, the way he moved and moaned, loving everything about that big mistake.

\--------

"Wait wait wait... Are you telling me you had sex with this bad boy the second you met him?" Bokuto asked with wide eyes. The rest of the group watched Iwaizumi, with their glasses half-full and mouths wide open.

Iwaizumi groaned "Yes. That's exactly what happened. I know I was a reckless little shit, no need to point that out."

Bokuto shook his head "No man, it's kinda hot. I didn't know you were like that."

"I agree..." Suga mumbled, and Daichi and Kiyoko nodded.

Iwaizumi crossed his arms and frowned "Well, do you want to continue analyzing my behavior when I was in my early 20's? Or can I continue?"

"Continue." Kiyoko said leaning forward. This was by far the most interested he had ever seen her. During meetings or not.

Iwaizumi sighed.

\---------

During the following weeks, Iwaizumi continued to visit Terushima or Terushima sneaked into Iwaizumi's room late at night. They had decided to keep their relationship a secret, as per Terushima's wish. Not even Matsukawa knew about them, and although Iwaizumi felt slightly annoyed by this, he would forget all about how much it bothered him when they were together.

Part of him wasn't strong enough to bring up the topic while at the same time he wasn't even sure what to say at all. Would he ask him to come out to everyone and tell people they were dating? Or maybe Terushima simply considered it a sexual adventure with no importance at all.

Regardless, Iwaizumi couldn't care any less when they lied in bed together, kissing softly or harshly, with their bodies mixing with the steam and sweat that enveloped the room. He was happier being ignorant, keeping Terushima by his side even if it was behind everyone else's back.

They barely saw each other during the day, they never even walked by each other before they met, so doing so when they were together was equally improbable. They continued to go on with their lives as if nothing happened during the nights.

Months had gone by, and although the passion for each other continued to exist, Iwaizumi became more annoyed by Terushima's behavior. He constantly flirted and slept with other girls at parties, even if Iwaizumi was in the room and could see him making out and taking them into his bedroom.

He grew furious as the weeks went by, but every time Iwaizumi confronted him, Terushima would simply ignore him or angrily reply that if he was so unhappy maybe he should just leave and stop pissing him off.

Iwaizumi wondered why he found himself so drawn to someone like Terushima. He hated his personality, the way he treated people and how rude he was, he hated how he seemed to enjoy the way Iwaizumi's face changed whenever he kissed or had sex with someone else right before him. But most of all, Iwaizumi hated how even with all these problems, he found himself opening his window to let him into his room or knocking on Terushima's door ready to spend the night with him.

It all continued to go on like this for months, Iwaizumi fell into a spiral of self-hate and constant grumpiness. Yes, he was indeed and normally a very grumpy person, but the bitter monster he became while he dated Terushima was on a whole new level. He felt himself slowly decaying into the darkness of anger, swimming through the words and lies of his partner, and clenching his jaw at the sight of any of the girls he had had any sort of encounter with.  
  
Jealousy was not the word he would use to describe the feelings he had towards those girls, no. Jealousy implies he felt at some point that those girls had something he didn’t have. Something that Terushima needed and he couldn’t give it to him. But that wasn’t the case, in fact, it was the complete opposite. Terushima needed a man, he needed Iwaizumi more than anyone else, and Iwaizumi knew this every night that his lover melted into his arms and moaned his name with desperation as if the words escaping his mouth were far too precious and he feared to lose them forever.  
  
Terushima was an asshole, but this didn’t mean what he felt for Iwaizumi wasn’t real, and he showed a very different side of him every night they spent together. Or at least, that’s what Iwaizumi tried to believe.  
  
But all beautiful, or not so beautiful things must come to an end.  
  
A few weeks before graduation, Iwaizumi walked down the streets of his campus. His mood was bitter and stressed just like it had been for the past months. He had been restless in his sleep, and although his grades remained as perfect as per usual and he had no apparent reason to worry about anything, he couldn’t put aside the thought of Terushima being with some girl at the moment. It became like a pending fear for him, wondering at all times if his boyfriend was sleeping with someone else or not.  
  
Much to his dismay and unhappiness, he walked on Terushima for the first time in his life. What were the odds? The day Terushima decided to have a date with one of the girls from his class, was the day Iwaizumi found him on campus for the first time.  
  
Thrown into complete anger and exhaustion, unable to control himself, he stormed towards Terushima.  
  
“What the fuck are you doing? I’m tired of your bullshit, Teru!” He blurted out loudly. Once again, and just like every time he lied eyes on him, he lost control of his actions.  
  
Terushima glanced at him surprised but then frowned. “Do I know you?”  
  
Iwaizumi shook his head, partly offended, but mostly angrier “Don’t give me that. At least have the balls to confront me properly.”  
  
Terushima chuckled and looked at the girl who sat next to him, “Darling, would you mind giving us a second?” He asked her with the sweetest voice he had ever used, the only kind of tone Iwaizumi had heard in bed before.  
  
The girl awkwardly nodded and stood up. Just as she was out of sight Terushima glanced back at him, “I honestly think you’ve got the wrong person, buddy.” His smile was sharp and almost flattering, but his eyes were dead and cold. He wasn’t playing around, but he obviously wasn’t going to stop his game.  
  
“Why are you still pretending?? She’s gone, you idiot! Don’t be a fucking prick! I want to talk!” Iwaizumi continued to speak loudly, his hands shaking in anger but his chest in pain, knowing very well he had done something that was endangering his relationship with the person he cared about the most.  
  
“Is everything okay, Teru?” Someone asked from behind Iwaizumi.  
  
Of course, he continued to pretend he didn’t know Iwaizumi. His friends were right there, but Iwaizumi had been so blind with his anger that he didn’t see them when he approached the lovely couple during their date…  
  
“It is, it’s just some fool thinking I’m someone else…” Terushima reassured his friends, “Right?” He finished looking back at Iwaizumi with cold eyes again.  
  
“No.” Iwaizumi found himself speaking decisively. He felt his body relaxing. He was done with this bullshit. “We’ve been dating for over a year, Terushima. We’ve been sleeping together since we met at the party you threw in your house. I am done pretending we don’t know each other in public.” His eyes were burning, and although the tears were gathering on them blurring his vision, he could see Terushima’s eyes changing into dark anger.  
  
He had never seen him like that before. His charming smile was gone, and instead, the muscles of his jaw were tightened as if the anger was so strong he was about to burst or crack his own bones. He looked at the side for a few seconds, thinking, and then he spoke. “Guys, I think we have a funny guy here saying really bad things about me. I say we do something about it.”  
  
The mocking tone resounded in Iwaizumi’s ears. He looked around and found himself surrounded by Terushima’s friends, all grinning with excitement as they walked closer to him. Terushima remained seated, and proceeded to watch how his friends punched and kicked the man he had been loving every night for the past year and a half.  
  
Iwaizumi felt the pain in every inch of his body. He could taste the blood in his mouth, and breathing was getting harder with each kick driven into his ribs. “Please…” He muttered in pain, only to receive more and more hits.  
  
After long minutes, long long minutes that seemed like hours, his friends gave up in exhaustion. Iwaizumi lied on the cold concrete in a fetal position, tears now running desperately down his cheeks, and sobbing between breaths became more like a work rather than a natural process. His hands continued to cover his head, too afraid to look up to see if Terushima’s friends had all gone away. He remained still, but shaking. Tense, but his body felt loose in pain.  
  
Finally, after a prolonged silence where all Iwaizumi could hear was his own cutout breathing, someone slowly walked towards him. He could feel how very familiar fingers ran through his hair, and then gripped it tightly, just like they had done many nights before in a passionate manner. Except this time the movement contained no passion; it was all hatred.  
  
“Don’t you dare try to mess with me again, you fuck. I’m not gay.” Terushima’s words only worsened the pain, and just after letting go of Iwaizumi’s hair and making sure his friends were far enough he looked down to him, “I will call Matsukawa so he comes to pick you up.”  
  
Iwaizumi’s tears burned with anger and pain as they ran faster down his cheeks. His entire face felt like it had been dipped into water, and the clenching of his stomach to stop the sobs from coming out only made him feel closer to being unable to breathe at all. Hearing hatred was better than hearing care coming out of his Terushima's lips, and now he felt like dying.  
  
Terushima stood up, kicked Iwaizumi one last time in the stomach, and then walked away towards the girl he had been on his date with. He never looked back.  
  
After a few hours of lying on the ground, just as it was getting dark he could hear steps rushing towards him. “Iwaizumi! Oh my god Iwaizumi!” Matsukawa’s voice had never sounded sweeter…  
  
His dear roommate helped him up, but he was far too broken to move much. “I’m taking you to the hospital. Jesus Christ, what the fuck happened to you?”  
  
Iwaizumi wanted to laugh, or at least sarcastically. But the pain was far too great, and all he could do was emit a low moan and continue to walk as best as he could towards Matsukawa’s car.  
  
Terushima had called Matsukawa as he promised but obviously didn’t have the guts to explain what happened. How would he, though? -Hi, Matsukawa. It’s Terushima; your best friend. You know your roommate? Yeah, the one I’ve been sleeping with for almost two years? Yeah well, my friends and I just beat the living crap out of him. I think you should go pick him up because he’s probably still on the ground-. Iwaizumi would laugh once more if he could.

Matsukawa drove in silence, glancing at his friend every once in a while to check that he was still breathing. A trail of blood was running down his shin, and the choke out breathing was only giving Matsukawa more reasons to step on the pedal even more.

"Stay awake, Iwaizumi, don't fall asleep, you hear me?" his friend repeated constantly.

Iwaizumi was indeed sleepy, but his mind wasn't listening to his friend's request, and instead all he could hear was Terushima's voice saying his final words over and over again. Images and memories flashed in his head, taking him back to the night they met, and all the many other nights that followed. Terushima's smell, his voice, his eyes, his soft and harsh kisses, the stink of cigarettes that remained in his clothes every morning...

Unable to hold back, Iwaizumi let out a loud groan, pushing his head back and crying even harder, it hurt to do so, but anything hurt at the moment so letting his emotions out made no difference. His sobs surrounded the car, and Matsukawa's silence could only mean one thing; Deep down he knew.

As they arrived at the hospital, Iwaizumi was led into one of the rooms and as they checked on him, it was decided he would remain in the hospital for about a week. He had more than 6 broken ribs, severe pneumothorax which caused his right lung to collapse, and internal bleeding in his brain due to the trauma from the kicks.

Matsukawa visited Iwaizumi every single day, although they never really spoke. It all consisted of "How are you?"s and small updates on how classes were going. They never talked about what had happened, and although the doctors insisted on knowing what had happened, Iwaizumi insisted on saying he had been mugged. But Matsukawa never asked him why he lied, and Iwaizumi never asked Matsukawa how he knew the truth.

Not even after he was released from the hospital did they ever mention Terushima's name again. Matsukawa had ceased to go to his parties altogether, and instead remained home with Iwaizumi, who refused to leave the house at all unless it was to go to class.

After the last weeks were over, and it was their graduation day; Iwaizumi and Matsukawa were getting ready for the ceremony when Matsukawa knocked on Iwaizumi's room. "Hey..." He said awkwardly. "I just want to make sure you will be alright, today..." He spoke remaining at the door.

Iwaizumi frowned "Why wouldn't I be?"

Matsukawa cleared his throat and then looked down, "Well... He will be there." Although Iwaizumi felt his blood freezing in his body, he was glad Matsukawa didn't say his name. He had become his personal Voldemort or something, he knew was that he wasn't ready to hear his name.

"I know..." He muttered, "But..." He wasn't sure what to say. He wanted to say he wasn't going to see him, but there was no way to avoid it, and yet at the same time he wasn't going to give that asshole the benefit of not showing up to his own graduation. "I think I'll be fine." He finally said.

After a long consideration Matsukawa nodded, and without looking up he spoke "Well... If you think it's too much, or you want to leave, you know you just have to say it, right?"

Iwaizumi smiled faintly and then nodded, "Thank you."

Matsukawa shook his head, and although Iwaizumi could barely see it, he thought a tear had just fallen from his roommates cheek, "I should be apologizing..."

Iwaizumi looked at him in surprise, but then walked towards him and gently hugged him, "This wasn't your fault. You know that. I'd hate for you to blame yourself." He whispered.

Matsukawa nodded and hugged Iwaizumi back, but then pushed him away "I'll stop, or I'll mess up your graduation shirt." He said in tears, trying to lighten up the mood.

Iwaizumi chuckled and then continued to get dressed.

That was the last time he had ever talked about Terushima again. In fact, Terushima didn't even show up at the ceremony, which was a huge relieve for Iwaizumi. All he cared about and all he wanted was to make him part of the past, and put those memories so far behind him, he would forget about them. That day he promised himself he would never fall for someone who made him feel that way, and he would always listen to his gut when it came to people like that.

\-----------

The room remained silent, Iwaizumi didn't look up from his drink. He had lost count of how many times he had re-filled his glass, but given the story he had just told, he had needed many re-fills.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Iwaizumi..." Suga said with a soft voice, his eyes were close to tears.

"Are you okay?" Daichi asked Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi cleared his throat and then nodded "It's part of the past." He said with a low voice.

"But it's clearly not, otherwise this wouldn't affect you today." Bokuto's voice was slower and more careful than usual.

"Does your gut tell you this Oikawa is like... Ter... Like your past lover?" Kiyoko asked. Her voice sounded nasal, and as she sniffed, the men around her could see she had been crying throughout the story.

Iwaizumi smiled softly at her, and gently grabbed her hand as an appreciation for her sympathy. "I don't know... I guess, it's more like I can't really control myself around him. I ended up giving him my email, and then telling him he could write me again..."

Daichi shrugged "Yes, that could be the same gut feeling, but at the same time you promised yourself you wouldn't fall for anyone, and you've taken it to the point of not being interested in anyone for years... Maybe this guy doesn't give you the same vibe, but instead, you just can't help but like him?"

Iwaizumi sighed. He felt tired. All those memories felt so recent, the pain of telling them... Yet at the same time those years were left so far behind...

"I understand why you wouldn't like to risk going through the same thing again, Iwaizumi, but... Wouldn't you say everyone's different? This guy probably has nothing to do with that evil dude you dated in university." Suga tried to reassure him, but it sounded like he was asking himself that.

"The other day Natsu fell down during recess. She was crying with no end, and almost screaming as dramatically as she always does." Bokuto said looking around "when I rushed to her, ready to tell her it was nothing and she would be fine, she looked at me with all the fury of the world inserted into her eyes and then complained about how she wanted to get the jump right on the first try, but now she would have to do it a second time." He chuckled "At first, I obviously didn't understand, but then I saw her stand up, clean up her tears and say to herself how no matter how many times she fell, she would get it right at some point; so she better not waste her own time and get it right once and for all."

The four looked at Bokuto with puzzled eyes, and then Bokuto sighed, "What I'm trying to say is you jumped and you fell. No matter how many times Natsu jumped, she never did it the same way or fell like the previous time. It's always different. Every day is different and every person is different. Giving someone a chance doesn't mean marrying that person and sticking with them for life, it means you should be willing to get hurt if things go wrong." He shrugged.

Iwaizumi remained silent, he finished his glass and sighed.

"It's a good option, Iwaizumi. You know the signs to identify if the guy is like your ex. If by any chance he were to be like that, you could always get out. You know we'd protect you." Daichi added.

Iwaizumi nodded and then looked around "I will give it some thought... It's just not easy."

Kiyoko shook her head "Please don't think we are telling you what to do, Iwaizumi. We just want you to be happy, and I personally don't think it's healthy to not have a personal life because memories from the past continue to torment you."

"Not to mention you're giving that bastard the satisfaction of never dating anyone again after him." Bokuto added.

"We are always here for you." Suga finished.

Iwaizumi chuckled and then nodded "Thank you, but could we please now change the subject and lighten up the mood a bit?"

"Yes! Let's bring up the board games!" Bokuto suggested.

"I'll go get them." Suga stood up and walked towards his classroom.

Daichi stood up as well and followed him, "I'll help you with them." He said disappearing into the hallway as well.

Iwaizumi lied down on the soft floor and shuffled through his phone while Bokuto and Kiyoko talked about other things. He couldn't help but wonder if maybe his friends were right, maybe the bad feeling Oikawa gave him was because he liked him, and the sole thought of himself being interested in someone else was terrifying.

He found himself reading Oikawa's past emails, although they weren't many, and remembering the conversation they had at the bar. While he wondered what he wanted to do, whether give him a chance or not, he closed his eyes and slowly drifted away falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this chapter broke my heart... 
> 
> I'd also like to add that I didn't choose Terushima to be Iwaizumi's ex for any alterior motive other than he's my favourite bad boy. I hold nothing against him, and I think those who do so should remember that yes, what he did in both the anime and manga was wrong, but we are talking about a teenager who's very much allowed to make mistakes. Putting that aside, I love Terushima's character, and this has nothing to do with the anime/manga since once again this is an AU. And either way who knows, maybe he has a chance to redeem himself in future chapters?
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed it! Feel free to leave a comment, kudos, or talk to me on tumblr <3
> 
> Oh! And Happy New Year!! <3333
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	4. A Drunk Mess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I must admit, part of me doesn’t feel too guilty about ruining your coffee. Who knows? Maybe I subconsciously did it on purpose?” Oikawa continued to speak in a playful manner, almost poetically.
> 
> Iwaizumi, who was already feeling the strong whiskey, and now scotch, running through his body felt more willing to step forward than ever. “Whether you did it or not on purpose, I’d say that’s irrelevant now. You’ve paid your debt, and now we are both sitting here, free of charge, wasting time.”
> 
> Oikawa tilted his head but his smile gave him away, “Wasting time?” He asked even though he understood perfectly what Iwaizumi was trying to say.
> 
> Iwaizumi sighed but then chuckled, “If you want to meet up every once in a while for a casual drink and to talk about our lives, that’s fine by me. But your knee almost up to my crotch, and your whispers and moans tell me you’re looking for something else.” He blurted out, unable to take it back, and truthfully not caring anymore. He was drunk enough to make mistakes and tired enough to not care about whether he made them or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, guys! Thank you again for reading ^^ 
> 
> I apologize in advance for making this chapter so short. I'm afraid I received horrible news this morning, and I couldn't bring myself to writing any further. This doesn't mean that the chapter ends halfway, I just mean I could have perfectly made it longer if my mind was in the right place.  
> Anyways, I hope you all enjoy it, and I hope you're having a better week than me! 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

A few weeks had passed since Iwaizumi had talked to his friends about his past relationship. Although Oikawa had been on the back of his mind ever since, he was still wondering if he should indeed give him a chance. Although he hadn’t texted him since their last meeting, Oikawa hadn’t done so either. Maybe Oikawa was all talk and games?

Either way, Iwaizumi had a good excuse for his absence; His busy days at work had only gotten busier with Kiyoko’s new plan to improve Sunshine Park Academy.

Turns out Kiyoko had been making some negotiations to merge with the local High School that had gained quite a bad reputation. At first, it sounded like a horrible idea, but when she heard the school had cleansed from their old personnel and administration, and all the new teachers and staff were fresh, it started to sound like a good thing to do.

The school had even changed names, after being called Gojo High School for years (Quite an unfortunate name to begin with), the school had finally taken a new light and the name changed into a more positive one; “Yugao High School”.

All the changes and decisions were taken by the new head of the school, a young woman named Yachi, who although she seemed decisive with every direction she guided the school through, her trembling voice and evident fear seemed more misguiding than the upcoming uphill course of the school.

“I get Gojo is taking a better course, and I truly wish them the best but is it really a good idea for us to merge with them?” Daichi asked concerned.

Kiyoko, who had gathered them all before the students arrived so she could explain everything nodded. “I think this is the best time for us to merge with them. We are a small academy, dedicated solely to a small portion of students. Our reputation shines on its own and we have a waiting list that will take us months to go through. Regardless of how much we expand our classrooms, 4 teachers won’t be enough, and this building is starting to get small for our situation.” She explained.

Daichi bit his lip “So… Gojo is-“

“Yugao” Kiyoko corrected him.

“Yugao is merging with us for financial reasons?” He tilted his head.

Kiyoko sighed and shook her head “Not exactly. If we look at the numbers… Sunshine Park is still a much better-financed school. But!” She said before she lost the interest of the four men around her, “I truly believe that with this merger, and with the rising reputation of Yugao, our school will gain an even better one, giving us the possibility to acquire a new and even bigger building and staff.”

The room fell into silence. None of them felt at ease with this new plan since they surely couldn’t predict the outcome. It was a complete gamble; either they merged and welcomed Yugao, taking a lot of credit for its ‘predicted’ rising fortune, or they merged and ended up with the same bad reputation as Gojo had. Or the third option… Not merging at all and continuing with the small school they always had.

“Look, I understand this seems like a scary and bold thing to do. But I built this place from the ground, I took every decision from the beginning, and got all of us to where we are. I wouldn’t propose something I truly didn’t have faith in or I thought could jeopardize the well-being of this business which I consider my own baby. But I’m not alone anymore, and we are a team. If you’re with me, I’ll happily go forward. If you are not, then I’ll think of something else.” Kiyoko’s voice was strong with every word, and as she glanced at each of her employees, they all knew what their answer was.

“I’m with you, that’s a given.” Iwaizumi shrugged, his arms folded across his chest and his back leaned on the chair.

Bokuto nodded eagerly, “O captain my captain! Count me in!”

Suga giggled and nodded to Kiyoko “I’m always up for bold ideas.”

The three men and Kiyoko looked at Daichi who was still staring at his feet thinking things through. Silence surrounded the room before Daichi himself broke it. “Well… I guess worst case scenario our reputation goes to the ground, but we are a team, and if we’ve built it up once, we can do it twice. I’m in.”

They all cheered and celebrated the decision, they would be merging with Yugao High School, and hopefully, everything would go as Kiyoko had planned.

Ever since the merging decision had been taken, and the process of uniting both institutions had begun, Iwaizumi found himself running back and forth from one school to the other, having constant meetings with everyone and even teaching some of the new teachers how to do their jobs properly. Yachi and Kiyoko had decided that if they were going to merge, they would do it a 100%, teaming up with every decision and joining their philosophies of work. “Two schools, one family.” They liked to say.

Iwaizumi was okay with the situation. If there was something he loved it was his work, and seeing all their effort get results so quickly so soon was very gratifying.

Besides, the mood in the school had changed as well. If Sunshine Park Academy was already a happy place, now it was more motivated than it had ever been, not only between them, but the students and parents seemed excited and most of them looked forward to sending their children to Yugao High School once they graduated from Primary School.

All in all, Kiyoko and Yachi’s idea was taking its form, and the results were even better than predicted.

During a late night of paperwork, and while Iwaizumi finished his 4th coffee of the day his phone buzzed with a new email. Iwaizumi looked at it distractedly, expecting more orders from his boss, but when he read Oikawa’s name in the sender section of the email, his heart skipped a beat.

>> Helloo! I hope you haven’t forgotten about me! ^.^/ Busy days over here, how are you doing?

He felt strange as he read that message, a mixture of fear and relief.

>> I haven’t forgotten about you. I’ve been busy as well.

His reply felt too dry, but at the same time, he wasn’t too sure of what to respond.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes, it was past midnight and he was the last one at the school. He thought it would be best to call it a day.

>> I’m glad! I’m on my way home from work. Do you mind if I called your number? I need to ask you something.

They had been writing emails to each other, but only then did Iwaizumi realize he had given Oikawa his card, which meant he also had his phone number in it. Iwaizumi read the email a few times, unsure of what to do, but before he knew it he was texting him back.

>> Sure.

His phone immediately began to ring with an unknown number flashing on the screen.

“Hello?” He answered. His heart beating fast and he hated that. He tried to breathe calmly to not feel so nervous.

“Iwaizumi! I’m sorry for calling so late...” Oikawa’s cheerful and sweet voice made Iwaizumi close his eyes and clench his jaw. He felt so many things that he didn’t even know how to process what any of this meant for him.

“It’s not a problem, I’m still at work.” Iwaizumi’s voice was low and rusty, trying to stay calmed.

“Oh, I hope I’m not bothering then!” Oikawa replied giggling. There were noises in the background, and Iwaizumi could hear cars beeping from time to time.

“Not at all, I was about to call it a day anyways.” He yawned.

Oikawa giggled “You know? I’m sorry I haven’t emailed you during these past days… I’ve missed you.”

Iwaizumi’s chest felt like he had been pushed off a cliff. The adrenaline rushing through his entire body, his breathing uneven and his mind rushing to find the words to no avail. “I…” He was speechless.

Oikawa giggled again, “Listen, I know it’s late and you’re probably exhausted, but I’m leaving on tour next week. I don’t know if I’ll have much free time to meet up… But I’d like to see you before I leave if that’s okay?”

Iwaizumi cleared his throat “Y-yeah no…” He was stuttering?? “I understand…” He said trying to calm down, “Uhm… When would you like to meet?”

“Ah... What do you say about tonight? Just a couple of drinks. That’s all.” Oikawa’s voice sounded as nervous and awkward as Iwaizumi’s, or at least, that’s what Iwaizumi preferred to think.

“Yeah, sounds great. Where shall we meet?” He asked while nervously toying with a pen.

“Hmm… Same place as last time? In 30 minutes?” Oikawa suggested.

“Perfect, I’ll meet you there then.” He hanged up. 

Iwaizumi let out a loud sigh, finally feeling his heart calming down. He looked around feeling glad there was no one else at the school, or they would have seen what a little teenager he could be when he liked someone.

He stood up, cleaned up his desk and grabbed his coat, closing the school after him. It felt odd having to do it himself, after all, it was always Kiyoko who stayed late, but given the recent events, she was always working somewhere else.

\-------

He arrived at the bar, and, this time, he could see Oikawa sitting at the bar with a grin on his face. Iwaizumi walked up to him and sat to his side.

“Part of me was actually scared you wouldn’t show up.” Oikawa said as a greeting to him.

“Why would I agree to meet if I wasn't planning on showing up?” Iwaizumi replied without looking at him and signaling the waiter to serve him some whiskey. “So how is the play going?” Iwaizumi asked. It felt odd to find himself willing to know more about him. 

“It’s going well… Exhausting, mostly. I’ve been in rehearsal day and night, and the sole thought of having to do this play a thousand times more, followed by press releases and more things only makes me want to crawl into bed.” He chuckled.

Iwaizumi couldn't help but picture Oikawa inside his bed. His soft and perfect hair falling on the pillow, his face looking as beautiful as it always did... His naked body between his sheets...

“Well are you happy with the path your career is taking, at least?” Iwaizumi said to interrupt his own thoughts and still avoiding Oikawa's glance.

“I am very happy, yes. What about you?” He pushed his leg forward so his knee would gently brush that of Iwaizumi’s.

Iwaizumi straightened up in surprise and looked down at his newly bought glass. “I-I’m doing well. Been busy with some changes we’ve had at the school.” He muttered.

“Oh, that sounds interesting. I still can’t believe someone as hot and mysterious as you works as a kindergarten teacher.” Oikawa said in a cheeky tone.

How could he say those things without even flinching? Iwaizumi looked at him for the first time since he had arrived and shrugged “I still don’t know how someone as annoying as you can work to entertain people.”

Oikawa nudged him on the shoulder “Mean! You’re so mean to me!” He pouted but he was clearly being playful.

“So you’re going on tour next week?” Iwaizumi asked, going back to his glance avoidance.

“Mhm, I will be gone for a month or so… I will be back for the scheduled plays here in Tokyo.” He smiled, “Will you miss me?”

Iwaizumi looked at him surprised and frowned “Why would I?”

Oikawa giggled and moved his leg even further towards Iwaizumi, almost getting his knee up to Iwaizumi’s crotch. He gently brushed his thigh with soft movements as he twirled his finger on the edge the glass of his usual Sex on the Beach.

Iwaizumi’s cheeks were burning, and although he was in a public place he was having a hard time containing himself from ripping his clothes off and savagely fucking the man in front of him on one of the bar’s tables. He gulped down his drink and ordered one more. He immediately gulped it down as well.

Oikawa smirked at this and moved closer to Iwaizumi. Oikawa’s lips were softly brushing Iwaizumi’s ear, he could feel his breath and hear the movement of his tongue, “I will miss you, Iwaizumi…” He whispered softly, followed by a hint of a moan.

Iwaizumi closed his eyes and contained a groan from escaping his lungs. He could feel his heart beating so fast, his breath was visibly uneven. If there was something that oddly enough turned him on like a crazy beast was the sound of moans and pleasure.

Feeling the alcohol taking over his senses, he looked at the waiter and asked him for a glass of scotch.

Oikawa rose his eyebrow in surprise, “I thought you were a man of whiskey.”

Iwaizumi smirked “Really? Well, I consider myself a man who likes to switch.” He answered playfully.

Oikawa’s eyes widened in surprise, but then he smirked again. Although he had moved further back to be able to look at Iwaizumi’s face, their bodies continued to be relatively close, and their faces were closer than they had ever been before.

“I must admit, part of me doesn’t feel too guilty about ruining your coffee. Who knows? Maybe I subconsciously did it on purpose?” Oikawa continued to speak in a playful manner, almost poetically.

Iwaizumi, who was already feeling the strong whiskey, and now scotch, running through his body felt more willing to step forward than ever. “Whether you did it or not on purpose, I’d say that’s irrelevant now. You’ve paid your debt, and now we are both sitting here, free of charge, wasting time.”

Oikawa tilted his head but his smile gave him away, “Wasting time?” He asked even though he understood perfectly what Iwaizumi was trying to say.

Iwaizumi sighed but then chuckled, “If you want to meet up every once in a while for a casual drink and to talk about our lives, that’s fine by me. But your knee almost up to my crotch, and your whispers and moans tell me you’re looking for something else.” He blurted out, unable to take it back, and truthfully not caring anymore. He was drunk enough to make mistakes and tired enough to not care about whether he made them or not.

Oikawa laughed loudly, “Well then, why don’t we go somewhere else?” He asked grabbing his coat and paying for both Iwaizumi’s and his own drink.

Before Iwaizumi could protest at that, or even reply to his question, Oikawa was storming out the bar, pulling Iwaizumi by the hand and dragging him along.

The fresh cold weather hit their bodies, rushing the alcohol and increasing its effect. Oikawa looked at Iwaizumi with hungry eyes, and although he hadn’t drunk as much as Iwaizumi had, he couldn’t contain himself and pushed Iwaizumi towards the alley by the bar. Iwaizumi followed his directions and unavoidably slammed his back against the cold concrete wall.

“Oikawa…” He whispered softly, the words falling out of his mouth with desperation.

Oikawa stood in front of him, his cheeks red from the mixture of his own body heat and the cold weather. He took a step forward, and gently moved his hands to Iwaizumi’s cheeks. A few seconds passed, and the whole world froze. Not a single car could be heard, not a single pedestrian mattered. Iwaizumi could only focus on Oikawa’s deep and tempting chocolate eyes.

With a blink of an eye, Oikawa sighed and moved forward, putting his lips against Iwaizumi’s. Iwaizumi followed his movements, tasting his so desirable and hateful Oikawa. His hands moved down to Oikawa’s hips and Iwaizumi pulled him closer, feeling each other’s hardness burn through their clothes.

Oikawa slid his tongue inside Iwaizumi’s mouth, and he obeyed parting his lips and tangling his tongue with Oikawa’s. He could taste his damn Sex on the Beach, and he had to agree it tasted like freaking fruit-loops. The mixture of his strong alcohol in comparison to Oikawa’s fruity drink created an odd sensation that only made him want more. Oikawa’s lips had become his new favorite thing in the world.

Just as he was thinking he would never get enough of that kiss, Oikawa moved away. Iwaizumi was about to protest, but Oikawa began to move down to Iwaizumi’s chin, gently kissing him and creating a trail of kisses down to his neck. Once he arrived at that delicate spot, he began to devour on his skin, licking and biting from time to time.

Iwaizumi closed his eyes and leaned his head back, unable to move and wondering if this could get any worse, and then Oikawa began to moan softly. Iwaizumi could feel his pants getting tighter as his boner worsened, and Oikawa seemed to have noticed this as well since he slid his hand down to Iwaizumi’s crotch and began to massage him from above his clothes.

“Oikawa…” He moaned softly. “Oikawa-“

Oikawa continued to moan, biting his neck in a harder manner. Iwaizumi was lost in the ecstasy, and before he knew it, he remembered the first time he had slept with Terushima. It had all been due to circumstances like this one. A dangerous man flirts with him, and Iwaizumi can’t refuse. Then Iwaizumi falls for said dangerous man, and becomes so unhappy, he ends up bleeding on the ground.

“Oikawa stop.” He finally managed to say, softly pushing his precious actor aside.

Oikawa looked at him confused “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He asked with genuine concern. 

Iwaizumi hesitated, part of him wanted to tell him to continue, after all, Terushima would have never expressed concern over him if it meant being told to stop doing this. But he still hadn’t even decided to give this a chance.

“Yes… I just…” He cleared his throat.

Oikawa tilted his head, “You… Don’t want…?”

Iwaizumi looked up to him, “No, I mean yes! I… ”

Oikawa’s eyes were a mixture of confusion and fear, “That’s okay, I understand…” His voice was low and his eyes moved to the ground.

They remained in silence for a few minutes, both looking down at the ground, their bodies almost touching each other, and their foreheads gently brushing.

“I better go…” Iwaizumi whispered. The words hurt their way out of his mouth, he wanted to stay, to kiss him for longer, to run his fingers through his soft brown hair and pull it. He wanted to devour him and enjoy every trace of his skin.

Oikawa nodded without looking up.

Iwaizumi carefully moved aside and walked away. He still felt too drunk and although he didn’t know what time it was, he felt like he had made the biggest mistake of his life. He took out his phone and dialed Daichi’s number.

“Iwaizumi? What time is it? Are you okay?” He asked half asleep.

Iwaizumi let out a sigh as he stumbled with every step, “I don’t know what to do… I just…”

“Are you drunk?? Where are you? What happened?” Daichi’s voice sounded wide awake now.

“He asked me to meet up with him, and I agreed, we had a few drinks and then we kissed, and oh my god it was the best kiss I’ve ever had, and I was so hard I wanted more, but-“ He mumbled.

“Oh wow, Iwaizumi, you must really be drunk.” Daichi replied in astonishment.

“Not as much as I wish I were,” Iwaizumi said, almost pouting.

Daichi sighed loudly “Why don’t you come over? I’ll make you some coffee and we can talk about everything.”

“Okay…” Iwaizumi mumbled again before hanging up and walking towards his friend’s house.

As he arrived and knocked on the door, he realized he had completely forgotten to ask if Daichi was really okay with him drunkenly coming over. Daichi lived with his girlfriend and it was really late, maybe she wasn’t going to be too happy about his appearance.

Daichi opened the door, he was only wearing some sweatpants that revealed his thick back and chest muscles.

“Damn, I didn’t know you were so hot.” Iwaizumi whispered.

“Did you know you’re very talkative and bold when you’re drunk?” Daichi rose an eyebrow but chuckled. “Come on in.”

Iwaizumi hesitated and looked around, “Are you sure? I remembered maybe-“

Daichi shook his head, “Yui is out for the weekend…” He sounded distant about her.

“Things are not going too good with her?” Iwaizumi asked walking into Daichi’s apartment.

It was a big and luxurious place with great views of the city. Most of it was paid by Yui, she was a professional volleyball player with a promising career.

Daichi cleared his throat and shook his head, “It’s complicated, maybe I’ll tell you all about it someday, but tonight you’re the one talking.” He said walking towards the kitchen to make some coffee. “Make yourself at home.”

Iwaizumi obeyed and took off his coat. He followed Daichi to the kitchen where he leaned against the counter. 

“So you met up with him, right? And you clearly had a few drinks, and then you kissed?” Daichi began as he handed him a warm mug of coffee.

Iwaizumi nodded taking the mug, “I don’t even know why I feel so drunk! I only had three glasses.”

Daichi tilted his head “Did you do the thing that you do where you mix the whiskey and scotch?”

Iwaizumi nodded feeling guilty.

“And I’m guessing you drank it all in one sitting?” Daichi followed.

Iwaizumi nodded again, feeling even worse.

“And… I’m guessing you also didn’t eat a single meal today and survived on coffee. Am I right?” He ended.

Iwaizumi let out a loud sigh and nodded for the last time.

“Well no wonder you’re drunk, I’m more surprised you thought it was a good idea to drink so much around him. Unless you’ve made up your mind, have you made up your mind?” His friend asked.

Iwaizumi shook his head, “I don’t know, honestly… I wanted to stay there, and for us to continue kissing and go home together. I wanted to stay with him. He’s worse than nicotine! Every time I see someone smoking, I feel my mouth and stomach craving for those killing sticks, but when I look at Oikawa it's a thousand times worse! My entire body wants him, and it’s not just my body, my mind wants to know more about him, and…”

Daichi sighed, “So now that you know you like him, and liking him is what scares you, you want more of him?”

Iwaizumi covered his face with his hands. “I guess so…” His voice sounded muffled.

Daichi chuckled “You truly are a masochist… But hey, now that you’ve spent a little bit more time with him, would you say he’s like Ter-… your ex?”

Iwaizumi looked back at Daichi, as much as he thought about it, the only thing they had in common was the dangerous vibe they gave Iwaizumi. They were completely opposite people, Terushima was a bad boy with a horrible attitude, while Oikawa was, sure a pretentious king, but so far he seemed a hard-working and serious person. If anything, he had accepted more of Iwaizumi’s decisions than Terushima had ever done. Not to mention that even when it came to physical appearances Terushima was a complete punk, and Oikawa was a doll.

“No… So far I would say they are complete opposites…” Iwaizumi mumbled.

Daichi nodded slowly, thinking carefully, “But you’re not sure, right?”

Iwaizumi shook his head.

“And you pretend to be sure by pushing him away and running?” Daichi asked boldly, almost like a reprimand.

Iwaizumi looked at him surprised and then frowned “I didn’t run… I… Just stopped him.” He tried to justify himself.

Daichi rose an eyebrow “So you told him to stop and he didn’t ask why?”

Iwaizumi looked away, “He did… He asked me if I didn’t want it or if I didn’t want him, he didn’t finish the sentence…”

Daichi shrugged “And you said…?”

“I said ‘no, I mean yes, I have to go’…” Iwaizumi covered his face once more feeling completely embarrassed. He had panicked and Oikawa was probably feeling confused and unwanted.

Daichi sighed and rubbed his eyes, “You’re seriously horrible at this, honestly, and I’m surprised you ever get with people.”

Iwaizumi looked at him, “Well that’s why I prefer one night stands with people I don’t like nor dislike, it’s easier, quick and no need for chit-chat!” He tried to defend himself. 

Daichi rolled his eyes “Look, no matter how many more days you try to think about this, you’ll never figure out whether you should give him a chance or not. Because this is not about should or shouldn’t! You can’t predict how Oikawa will turn out to be, just like he can’t predict how you’ll be!”

Iwaizumi listened intently.

“You need to ask yourself if you WANT to give him a chance or not. Do you want to know more about him? Do you want to give him the opportunity to make you happy? And do you want to risk being hurt by him?” He said lecturing Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi was trying to find an answer, but before he could tell his friend he couldn’t come up with anything, Daichi shook his head.

“You’re too drunk and tired right now, you can sleep in my bed.” He nudged him towards the hallway.

Iwaizumi looked back at him confused. “Where will you sleep?”

Daichi frowned “My bedroom, of course. Just because you’re a man doesn’t mean we’ll do gay stuff if we share a bed. Besides, you’re not even my type.”

Iwaizumi looked at him surprised as they both entered the room, “Not your type? You mean not your type of man? Or just not your type as in gender?”

Daichi got back into his bed and groaned, “Just shut up and get in bed.”

Iwaizumi did so, and before they went to sleep he drunkenly mumbled, “Is your type like Suga?”

Daichi’s eyes widened "I hate drunk Iwaizumi. I prefer grumpy sober Iwaizumi, you know?" he said, but Iwaizumi had already passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should add that 'Gojo' was the name given in Japan to the slums in ancient times, and 'Yugao' is a very beautiful Japanese plant/flower, also known as Moon Flower.
> 
> As always, feel free to leave a comment, kudos, messages on tumblr and anything you'd like! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! <33
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	5. Possible Love Triangle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo waved his hand in dismissal, “Don’t worry about it, Cute-Coffee-Sensei, I’ll never judge a man with that much self-control!” He laughed.
> 
> Iwaizumi frowned and cleared his throat, “My name is Iwaizumi.”
> 
> Kuroo tilted his head “I know, but we call you Cute-Coffee-Sensei around here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew~! I almost didn't make it on time! I've been overwhelmed and drowned in work lately trying to fix some of the issues that ruined my week last week! It seems everything is looking up for the better, and since you guys have supported me so much I wanted to make the effort and post this chapter on time to show my gratitude! 
> 
> Please enjoy this chapter and excuse the crappiness of my writing, my mind has been elsewhere for quite a while, and I finished writing this at like 6 am when I was already seeing double haha! 
> 
> Have a wonderful weekend everyone! <333
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

The following morning Iwaizumi woke up feeling like someone had hit him in the head with a hammer. The light from the outside hurt as if he had been inside a cave for days, and his mouth was dry like the desert.

“Seriously, all this just because of three stupid drinks?” He mumbled grumpily and sleepily.

He moved around and looked for his alarm to check the time, but to his surprise, the surroundings were entirely different. Suddenly it all came back to him, the meet-up at the bar, the kiss with Oikawa, the drunken walk to Daichi’s place, and the exhausting pep-talk he had received from his friend.

“You can’t know if you should or shouldn’t give him a chance… You need to think if you want or don’t want to give him a chance!” He heard Daichi’s voice resound in his head.

Iwaizumi sleepily rubbed his eyes, he really hated the feeling of a hangover, then again he wasn’t sure anyone liked it. He looked around the room, Daichi’s side of the bed was neatly made and there was no trace of him. Judging by the silence, Iwaizumi figured Daichi had left. He yawned loudly but then jolted up on the bed, if Daichi was gone it meant he was late for work!

He rushed out of bed and towards the kitchen to grab his coat and check his phone, but on the way to the hallway, he found a sticky-note on the bedroom’s door.

“Don’t panic, I’ll cover for you today. You’ve been working too hard and need some rest and thinking to do. There’s coffee in the kitchen, feel free to stick around. – Daichi.”

Iwaizumi sighed and took the note with him, he hated taking days off from work, and he hated, even more, being at home with nothing to do, but it was true that lately he barely had any time for himself.

He continued his initial thought and walked up to his coat, as he grabbed his phone he could see a few text messages and emails flashing on the screen. Nothing too important, most of them were from Kiyoko telling him to not even think about showing up to work, and the rest were from Bokuto and Suga asking him for more details regarding the previous night. Daichi had probably told them a bit of what happened, but it seemed he kept a lot of things to himself. No messages or calls from Oikawa though…

Iwaizumi could feel a sharp pain in his chest, he hated the feeling of not being sure what would happen from then on, maybe it wasn’t even worth thinking about giving him a chance, maybe after last night Oikawa had already given up, and considered Iwaizumi a wuss not worth his time…

He groaned and put his phone back in his pocket. As much as he appreciated Daichi’s hospitality, it wasn’t a good idea to stay there for the day. He needed to go home, shower, work at least for a while from his computer without letting his boss know, and probably do a complete clean-up of his place. That always helped him feel better during days of a hangover, and that was always a good thing to do when his mind was a complete mess.

His place was indeed in a horrible state. It was a small apartment for a single man in the middle of the city. The living-room and kitchen were connected, and the only other room was his own bedroom with a small bathroom. He didn’t need anything else or any more space, but the trash that had piled up through the weeks was driving him insane and it made the place look smaller and more asphyxiating than it already was.

He began to clean up the entirety of each room. From taking out the piled up take away trash to using his army of cleaning products to leave every corner of every room spotless. All in all, Iwaizumi could be considered a clean-freak. Sure he had his moments of being a complete disaster, but those only happened when he was barely at home or had to choose between eating/sleeping and cleaning. Aside from those exceptions, seeing his living and working space in complete mess drove him insane.

Once he had finished cleaning and organizing everything, he jumped into the shower. The hot water ran down his body, softly cruising through his skin. He had a habit of taking care of his appearance, so his body had always been the athletic type. He didn’t exactly care about having muscles or not, but he was happy with his thick pectoral muscles and abs. He grabbed the soap and he began to wash his body, with soft moves letting his mind wander into last night’s events.

Once his soapy hand moved up to his neck, he couldn't help but remember the way Oikawa had buried his sharp teeth into his skin and twirled his tongue around the area. He hadn’t checked, but he probably had some notable hickies there. He caressed the spot with his fingers, closing his eyes and trying to remember every detail of the previous night.

Slowly and unable to contain himself, his other hand moved down to his thighs and carefully grabbed his own length. He began to move his hand slowly, massaging his cock with care and trying to enjoy every moment. His lips pursed tightly and his eyes closed while his other hand continued to follow the trail where Oikawa had left his soft and harsh kisses.

Iwaizumi tried to imagine what could have happened if he hadn’t stopped Oikawa from kissing him. He remembered the scent of Oikawa’s cologne mixed with the smell of his shampoo as Iwaizumi buried his face in his hair while Oikawa continued to run his tongue down his neck. The feeling of Oikawa’s thick hip around his fingers, slowly thrusting with desperation against Iwaizumi’s. 

He remembered Oikawa’s burning length, big and stiff almost sticking out from his pants and slowly rubbing against his own.

His hand began to move faster, and his grip tightened. He bit his lower lip; almost as if he was trying to contain the moans and words from coming out of his mouth.

Oh, the moans… He remembered so vividly those soft delicate moans Oikawa made, the desperate tone he used, the hunger in them, the way he seemed to have figured out what those sounds made to Iwaizumi… He wanted Oikawa, he wanted him so badly his entire body craved for his perfect and soft skin.

Unable to stop his lips from forming words anymore, a soft moan in the shape of Oikawa’s name escaped his lungs. He moved his head back as he came on his own hand, feeling the ecstasy he so desired to experience with his beautiful Oikawa.

He rested his forehead against the marble wall, feeling the water wash away the soap and cum. He tried to catch his breath while his mind tortured him with questions; “Did he just masturbated thinking about Oikawa? Did he really want him that badly?” Endless questions like these crossed his mind.

He had initially thought of taking this shower to clear up his mind, but his actions ended up making it worse. Groaning in annoyance he finished showering, and as he was getting dressed he thought that whether he was going to give Oikawa a chance or not, he had to apologize for his behavior.

As he walked towards the living room table where he had left his phone, much to his surprise, he had received an email from Oikawa. Maybe he was angry and wanted to tell Iwaizumi how rude he had been? How he was pissed off because Iwaizumi had led him on, only to reject him and make him look like an idiot? All those ideas horrified Iwaizumi, he really didn’t want anyone to feel that way, and even less when it came to Oikawa and all he was trying to do was to clear up his mind.

But what he read ahead was nothing he could have expected at all.

>> Hey Iwaizumi… I hope you’re doing okay and that you got home safely… I really wanted to apologize for last night, I feel like maybe I took it too far and made you feel uncomfortable. I should have made sure you were okay with what I was doing, but instead, I got carried away. I feel horrible, and if you don’t want to talk to me I’ll understand. But if you wish to talk, please let me know. I’m sorry again…

Not a single emoticon, a full on apology, and Iwaizumi’s grumpy heart melted like ice on fire. If he was worried about Oikawa turning out to be like Terushima, he felt he had been a complete idiot. Never in his life had Terushima apologized to Iwaizumi, not even when that asshole forgot about his birthday and instead spent the day fucking some other girl. Oikawa sure was a brat, but at least, he was a decent one who seemed entirely aware of the possibility of hurting others with his own actions and that made him feel horrible.

Iwaizumi felt a relief in his heart, part of him wanted to laugh at how hilarious his attitude had been so far for being so scared, and although he still wasn’t sure of letting his guard down, he had decided to do as Daichi suggested; He was going to get to know Oikawa better. That way he’d know for sure what to do next.

>> Hi, please don’t apologize, what happened wasn’t your fault and you didn’t do anything I didn’t want you to do. I do want to talk, is there any way we can meet up today?

He replied. His heart was pounding, he felt like a teenager who liked someone for the first time. His eyes pierced the screen with intensity, and part of him felt like Kiyoko staring at her tablet. Just as he was about to put his phone down to calm down, it buzzed with a new email.

>> Thank you so much for replying! I’m afraid I’m very busy today, but if you don’t mind meeting me at work I don’t mind using my lunch-break to talk! I’m at the Akasaka ACT Theater, rehearsal will be over in an hour. How about we meet then?

Iwaizumi smiled to himself and quickly replied back.

 >> I'll meet you in an hour then.

The Akasaka ACT Theater was near Shibuya, and that was slightly far from his place, so he decided to immediately start getting ready to not be late.

Once he arrived at the enormous theater and walked in, he realized he had stepped into a completely different world from the one he was used to. People were constantly running around with props, boxes, and costumes. It felt like being back in high school and jumping into the theater society, except on a much bigger scale.

He looked around confusedly, and after seeing many faces that he didn’t recognize he thought of texting Oikawa. He took out his phone and as he was about to begin typing someone walked into him and bumped on his shoulder.

“Oops! Sorry!” A familiar voice said.

Iwaizumi turned around to see who it was, it didn’t sound like someone he talked to on a daily basis, and it wasn’t Oikawa.

“Oooh! Cute-Coffee-Sensei!” The black haired man said as he looked back to Iwaizumi as well, “I didn’t know you would be here today!” He put his arms on his hips and made a cheeky grin. It was the man who accompanied Oikawa the day they met.

“Uhh… Yeah, I have to talk to Oikawa and he told me to come here… But I can’t seem to find him…” He said narrowing his eyes trying to remember Oikawa’s best friend’s name.

“I’m Kuroo. I’m sure Oikawa told you about me, I mean, who wouldn’t?” He winked at Iwaizumi and chuckled, “So you’re here to talk about what happened last night?” He asked nonchalantly.

Iwaizumi felt his face go pale and red simultaneously, “Uhm… More or less…” He mumbled.

Kuroo waved his hand in dismissal, “Don’t worry about it, Cute-Coffee-Sensei, I’ll never judge a man with that much self-control!” He laughed.

Iwaizumi frowned and cleared his throat, “My name is Iwaizumi.”

Kuroo tilted his head “I know, but we call you Cute-Coffee-Sensei around here.”

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “Around here??”

Kuroo laughed loudly, “Well Oikawa has been talking about you for quite a while, it was getting kinda boring when he started panicking about you not texting him for so long, but now that you guys are meeting up again-”

“Waaah!!! Iwaizumi! You arrived!” Oikawa rushed to them interrupting the conversation.

“Oikawa! I was just telling Cute-Coffee-Sensei about how panicky you were when-” Kuroo started in a teasing manner but his friend interrupted him.

“I’ve seen the screenplay editor walking around the stage. If you don’t want me to start talking to him as well, please shut up.” Oikawa said cheerfully teasing Kuroo back.

Kuroo looked at Oikawa with frightened eyes and then back at Iwaizumi, “Well Iwaizumi, it was a pleasure seeing you again.” He nodded and walked away rushedly. 

Iwaizumi watched Kuroo disappear, “Is everything okay?” He asked in a low voice not sure how to react at the sudden situation.

Oikawa turned to Iwaizumi, his cheeks were burning with embarrassment, “I’m sorry, Kuroo is my best friend as you know but he likes to tease people so much; sometimes he goes too far. I hope he hasn’t said anything embarrassing…”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “Not really, no…” He thought it would be best to not mention all the things Kuroo had just told him.

Oikawa smiled happily “Well then, shall we go somewhere more private to talk?”

Iwaizumi looked at his watch, “Are you sure you have enough time?”

Oikawa nodded eagerly, “Yes, plus they won’t mind if I’m a few minutes late, it will be alright.”

Iwaizumi shrugged and nodded as well, “Well then, where shall we go?”

Oikawa looked around and then pointed with his head in one of the directions, “There’s a private booth for sound recording right around this corner.” He began to walk. 

Iwaizumi followed him, and although he felt uneasy going somewhere so private with him, he didn’t protest. They arrived at a black room with a thick door. As they entered, Iwaizumi could see it was indeed a recording booth, there was a table full of weird buttons and lights right in front of them with a few chairs scattered around, and a window showed to the continuous room where the microphones were set up in different positions.

 Oikawa closed the door behind them and sighed, “So, I really want to apologize again, I know I acted in a rushed manner without even asking your consent. I let myself go with the situation and I didn’t even think about how you would feel with my actions. I’m terribly ashamed, so please forgive me…” Oikawa bowed.

Iwaizumi looked at him perplexed “No! It’s alright! You don’t need to apologize for anything…” 

Oikawa looked at him confused, “But… The way you stopped me, and the way you left… I thought I made you feel uncomfortable…”  

Iwaizumi scratched the back of his head trying to think, “Well… I was a bit uncomfortable.” He could see Oikawa look to the ground with shame, “But not for the reason you’re thinking.” He admitted.

Oikawa looked up into Iwaizumi’s eyes. He could see the melted chocolate color and felt like he could swim in them forever. His cute pink cheeks, and his soft tasty lips… Iwaizumi wanted to tell him to forget everything and to make him his.

“I…” Iwaizumi sighed, “I’m not sure how to explain this… I guess all I can say is I don’t exactly feel safe letting myself be so vulnerable around you, at least in such a fast pace.” He was never good at expressing himself, and whenever he got nervous, his ability to put his feelings and thoughts into words only worsened.

Oikawa nodded slowly, “So… You’re not sure if you like me?”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “No, I know I like you.” He bluntly said, “I just don’t know you well enough to open up to you…”

Oikawa cheered up to this but then narrowed his eyes looking at the ground almost as if he was trying to visualize Iwaizumi’s words. “So what you’re saying is that you want to take it slow? Get to know each other and see if we really mix up well?”

Iwaizumi’s eyes widened, if he was bad at describing his feelings, Oikawa had just translated them perfectly. “Yes! I mean… If you don’t mind. I hope you’re not offended by this…”

Oikawa sighed loudly, “To be honest, I’m relieved, I genuinely thought I had done something wrong, or that maybe I had scared you by being too rough or something…”

Iwaizumi smiled a bit, part of him felt really happy that Oikawa had worried so much.

“And of course, I’m okay with taking it slow! I think you’re right, I want to get to know my handsome kindergarten teacher a lot better!” He added in a cheerful tone, his hair shuffling as he moved excitedly.

Iwaizumi chuckled now, trying to hide his embarrassment he looked at the ground. He could see Oikawa’s feet moving towards him and as he looked up, he was engulfed in Oikawa’s deep brown eyes.

He was standing only a few inches away from him, their bodies almost touching. Oikawa looked down at Iwaizumi’s lips, and with a soft whisper he asked, “Would it be alright if I kissed you now, though?”

Iwaizumi gulped, it was hard to restrain himself from jumping on Oikawa and from doing things he would be too embarrassed to talk about. He slowly nodded.

Oikawa leaned forward, marking the difference of height between them. Iwaizumi tilted his head up to meet Oikawa’s lips, and as they touched it felt once again like a magical explosion of feelings he had never felt before. It was like he had been dying of thirst and didn’t know until that very moment, making his precious source of fresh water become Oikawa’s lips.

Their lips tangled together, and Oikawa slowly moved his hands up to Iwaizumi’s cheeks like he had done that night before. Iwaizumi followed his movements and put his hands on Oikawa’s hips, slowly moving them forward and surrounding him with his arms.

It felt like hours, but Iwaizumi didn’t want that moment to stop, he wanted to continue kissing him forever, he loved the taste of his lips, the soft feeling of them, and the way Oikawa moved his tongue playfully against his.

Suddenly the door opened interrupting them. Iwaizumi turned to whoever had caught them with startled eyes and found a very tall man with an angry face standing at the door.

“Oikawa, your break was over 2 minutes ago. We are waiting for you.” His voice was harsh and deep, it gave Iwaizumi goose bumps.

Oikawa groaned and looked at the ground, his hand still on Iwaizumi’s cheeks, “You’re interrupting me because of two freaking minutes?” He asked annoyed.

The tall man frowned, his face looked even scarier and angrier, “Yes. Get back to work. Now.”

Oikawa looked at him with cold eyes, sharing the same angry glance, “You’re my agent, not my boss.”

The man looked at Iwaizumi and then back at Oikawa, it seemed as if he was about to say something, but Oikawa suddenly changed his attitude.

“I’m joking, Ushiwaka-chan! I’m going, I’m going.” His annoyed face had changed into a sweet playful one, and his smile shone brightly.

The man walked away leaving the door opened, and Oikawa turned back to Iwaizumi.

“Well… Would it be okay if I texted you tonight?” He asked with the bright smile still on his face.

Iwaizumi, who was still looking at the now empty door, turned to Oikawa and slowly nodded.

Just as they both exited the booth, Oikawa rushed back to the stage waving goodbye at Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi waved back, and as he was about to start walking towards the exit door, he found the tall man blocking the path.

The man looked down at Iwaizumi, his angry eyes piercing through Iwaizumi’s.

“You better not become a problem.” He said with a coarse and resilient voice.

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I am Ushijima. His manager. You better not be trouble.” He answered without even flinching.

Iwaizumi chuckled, “Is that a threat?”

Ushijima looked behind Iwaizumi and began to walk past him towards the stage, but just as they bumped shoulders he replied, “Take it as you will.”

Iwaizumi looked back and watched him disappear. He clicked his tongue against his teeth in annoyance and walked out of the theater.

What was that man’s deal? Maybe he was in love with Oikawa? It would be an interesting love-story. The manager who had to watch his client fall in love with someone else, but he could do nothing about it except threaten the poor bastard. Was he now part of some scary love triangle? He laughed at the thought as he walked home.

Part of him felt weird after what had happened that day. He didn’t only talk to Oikawa without feeling annoyed, but he also expressed the way he felt (as best as he could) and actually got his point across. Thinking about it and listing the many things that had happened so far between them; Oikawa had nothing to do with Terushima for sure.

The way he had accepted that Iwaizumi didn’t want to continue kissing, the way he messaged him with such emotional apology and how he apologized again once they met up, the way he understood what Iwaizumi was trying to ask of him, how he didn’t complain about anything, or how he was so worried about Iwaizumi’s feelings and felt guilty for maybe acting so ‘rough’ with him… Even the way he had asked him for permission to kiss him. But what meant the most to Iwaizumi was that Oikawa had been talking about him to his friends and co-workers. There wasn’t any hiding with him.

Iwaizumi thought back about that kiss and could feel his cheeks burning up with the sole thought of it. Although he wanted more, he was glad he was getting a chance to do things neatly and in a simpler way. To get to know Oikawa better and making sure he wasn’t going to get harmed was something that made him feel more comfortable with the idea of falling for someone new. He felt a positive vibe from this, and couldn’t help but smile.

As he thought he was arriving at his place, it didn’t take long for him to realize his surroundings were completely different from the buildings he would find near his apartment. Just as he thought maybe he had gotten lost, his smile turned into a frown and he let out a loud sigh.

He could see the ‘Sunshine Park Academy’ sign imprinted on the crystal door he opened every morning. It seems he had foolishly enough walked to work without realizing. Thinking there was no point on turning around anymore, he walked into the school, hitting the bell above the door.

“I thought I told you to not show up today.” Kiyoko was sitting on the thick ledge of one of the large windows, looking down on her tablet.

“Well you haven’t even looked at me, so you can’t say you weren’t expecting me to show up. Besides, I walked here without noticing.” Iwaizumi chuckled.

Kiyoko looked at him in surprise and then frowned, “Without noticing?” She stood up and walked towards Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I guess I was so deep in thought I didn’t realize I didn’t take the route home but the route to work.”

Kiyoko circled him, narrowing her eyes and studying him, “route from where?”

Iwaizumi looked at her with weird eyes, “What? Why are you questioning me?”

Kiyoko stopped right in front of him and tilted her head, “You didn’t plan on coming to work or you would have shown up earlier, you smell of cologne and…” She moved her hand forward and rubbed the side of his lower lip, “You had a slight trace of lipstick right there.”

Iwaizumi’s eyes widened in surprise and as he rubbed the spot where Kiyoko had touched him, he replied “What? Lipstick?” His voice was more confused than panicky. “I don’t recall putting on any lipstick on today” He added sarcastically.

“No, but you know who wears lipstick?” Kiyoko asked.

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “Women?”

Kiyoko nodded, “And actors.” She chuckled.

Iwaizumi’s face turned red, and he looked away avoiding Kiyoko’s glance.

“So that’s where you come from… You went to see him today? What happened?” She asked eagerly.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “He messaged me to apologize for last night and asked to meet up to talk things through.” He mumbled still looking away.

“Oh? And how did that go?” She asked sitting down by the window again.

Iwaizumi sighed, “Well I guess well enough since as you pointed out; I had lipstick on my face.”

Kiyoko looked at him and grinned, “Oh, I made that up. You didn’t have anything on your face.”

Iwaizumi frowned and groaned, he walked towards Kiyoko and leaned against the wall right next to her, “It went well I guess. So far he has nothing to do with you-know-who, which is a good thing.”

Kiyoko nodded looking down at her tablet once more, “I’m glad to hear that, although there’s something bothering you, isn’t there? Did something happen?”

Iwaizumi remained silent for a few minutes and then he sighed, Kiyoko was becoming the group's mother instead of their boss, “Well… I met his agent. Big scary dude. He told me I better not be trouble, I don’t know, you think he has a thing for Oikawa? I don’t want to get into a battle-zone with that guy.”

Kiyoko shrugged, “Maybe he has a thing for Oikawa, or maybe as his agent he just wants his client to be focused. I mean, part of me is worried you’re gonna go weird and start showing up late like Bokuto does… But that doesn’t mean I’ll actually go up to Oikawa and tell him to watch out.”

“What about Bokuto?” The energetic man spoke, poking his head out from the hallway.

“Seriously? If I knew you answered to your name so quickly, I’d call you up every morning. Maybe that way you’ll be on time.” Kiyoko said without turning around.

“Oh, Iwaizumi! What brings you here?” Bokuto ignored her and walked towards them.

Iwaizumi tilted his head, “Well Bokuto, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed this, and please don’t tell anyone but… I work here…” He answered sarcastically.

Bokuto opened his mouth in surprise “What?? You work here?! Since when??” He answered playing along. “No but seriously, I thought you were buried in Daichi’s sheets, suffering a deep hangover. What brings you here in such cheerful mood?”

Iwaizumi chuckled, “That sounds awfully sexual for a simple sleepover.”

Bokuto shrugged, “Hey man, you do you, I kinda see the spark between you and him, although…” He leaned forward to whisper, “I’m telling you, him and Suga? That would be a wonderful thing to see.”

Kiyoko shook her head, “Bokuto you’re too much of a pervert to work around children. Speaking of them, aren’t you supposed to be watching them and supervising them so they don’t die or something?”

Bokuto looked down at Kiyoko and chuckled, “They are all taking their daily nap. No need to supervise a dozen of sleeping toddlers. I can take breaks now and then when they are far away in the dreamy clouds.”

Iwaizumi chuckled, “How is it going between you and the barista? Any progress?” He asked trying to divert the attention from himself.

Bokuto let out a sigh and hung his head, “Nothing yet. I just can’t do it! Every morning I go up to him thinking I will finally ask him his name, but as soon as I look at him I just freeze! I can’t even tell him my order.”

“You don’t tell him your order? Then how do you get your coffee?” Iwaizumi asked confused.

Bokuto rolled his eyes, “I go there every morning, he knows I show up there every day at the same time and always get the same thing. I just go there and my order is already ready!”

“Then why would you tell him your order?” Iwaizumi chuckled.

“I don’t know, a conversation starter?” Bokuto shrugged.

Kiyoko laughed loudly, “Wow, that’s a hell of a conversation starter Bokuto. Who knows, maybe you’ll jump into a marriage proposal if you tell him you want two sugars with your coffee.”

Bokuto looked back at her, “I wouldn’t expect you to know what a conversation means, Kiyoko. After all, you only talk to that tablet of yours.” He said with exaggerated indignation.

Kiyoko shrugged, “Can’t deny that.”

“Why don’t I go with you someday? Maybe I can help you out? Be your wingman?” Iwaizumi asked.

Just as Bokuto was about to answer a loud childish voice erupted in from Bokuto’s classroom. “OH MY GOOOOSH!!! THAT CLOUD LOOKS LIKE A UNICORN!!!!”

Bokuto closed his eyes, “Well… I guess Natsu woke up.” He said rushing back to his classroom, "But I'll take you up on the offer to help me!" He added leaving Iwaizumi and Kiyoko alone.

“That man wouldn’t realize the barista already likes him even if the poor boy actually took his coffee to his doorstep.” Kiyoko shook her head.

Iwaizumi looked back at her, "You think he already likes Bokuto?" 

Kiyoko chuckled, "We all go to the same cafeterias every day, is your coffee ready as soon as you get there?" 

Iwaizumi thought about it and then shook his head, "I doubt they even remember the order..."

Kiyoko nodded with a smile, “Exactly. Also, I suggest you get out of here before I find some reason to keep you here, or make you run errands for me to Yugao.”

Iwaizumi chuckled and nodded, “Yeah, I think I better go. I need to lie down and sleep some more. If there’s anything important, though, let me know.”

Kiyoko nodded, and Iwaizumi walked out of the building, this time, heading to his apartment for sure. He definitely wanted to sleep some more. 

Although he felt tired and had a hangover, it had been a really good day, and he felt cheerful for the first time in a long time.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed it, I personally love the scariness that Ushijima's character emits right now! I wonder if Iwaizumi will really end up in a love triangle? We'll see! I have a lot in store for my precious JAPAN! as well haha maybe his own fic will be posted with its given time? 
> 
> Ahh well! Feel free to leave kudos, comments, subscribe or bookmark this! Also feel free to talk to me on tumblr, I know I haven't been around there much, once again I'm drowning in work and my personal laptop is being fixed so I won't really be able to update it until I get it back, but I always try to go on once in a while to answer messages <333 I promise I'll be back there asap! Love you guys and thank you for your support! Sending good vibes to everyone! <3333 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	6. Sailor Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They continued to eat, and after a few minutes of simply watching each other Oikawa asked, “Iwaizumi, would you consider this a date?”
> 
> Iwaizumi looked at him surprised and although he blushed he tried to find a rational answer. “Hmmm… I’d say it doesn’t really feel like a date, more like a friendly lunch.” He shrugged.
> 
> Oikawa nodded slowly, thinking.
> 
> “I’m sorry, I hope this doesn’t make you feel bad or anything.” Iwaizumi quickly added.
> 
> Oikawa chuckled, “No, not at all. I was just thinking I should invite you to a proper date once I get back.”
> 
> Iwaizumi frowned, “What makes you think I’ll accept?”
> 
> Oikawa shrugged, “Just a hunch.” He said before winking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had completely forgotten it was Friday/Saturday :D!   
> You know, since I usually post the chapters past midnight, I'm officially confused. I don't know if have to update on Fridays or Saturdays, but then also my Time-Zone is always changing so I can barely get a grip of what day it is... Anyways! Checking the last publication date, I guess I'm on schedule haha! 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I had a lot of fun writing it! <333 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

“Guys we have a crisis.” Daichi greeted Iwaizumi and Bokuto as they entered through the door.

“Well good morning to you too.” Iwaizumi mumbled while hanging his coat. “What happened?”

Daichi crossed his arms and let out a loud sigh “Halloween….”

Bokuto looked at them surprised and then waved his hand in dismissal, “Don’t be silly Daichi, Halloween is in like a week!” He giggled walking towards his classroom.

“Exactly, and we don’t have any decorations.” He replied without looking back at Bokuto.

Bokuto froze in place “We don’t have…”

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “What happened to last year’s decorations?”

“Kiyoko took them took them to Yugao, she says they need them more as a publicity stunt and to attract new students.” Daichi explained.

Iwaizumi nodded slowly “Well that makes sense… But-”

“But what about us?!” Bokuto asked dramatically turning to them “We can’t have our precious students coming in for Halloween without any kind of decoration hanging around! That’s like a crime or something!”

“I doubt something like that can actually be a crime.” Iwaizumi said to Bokuto.

“Well if it’s not it should!” He replied in a childish way.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “Then we would definitely go to prison, I don’t think I-”

“Guys, guys, focus. We need decorations! We have to come up with something!” Daichi clapped his hands to get their attention.

Both men turned to him and silently began to think, “What about buying them?” Iwaizumi asked.

Daichi shook his head, “Suga is on his way back from the stores; it seems they are pretty much out of stock until a few days before Halloween, and those who still have something are crammed with people.”

“Oh, gods! Why have you forsaken us?!” Bokuto dropped to his knees, “Why does everyone decide to go for decorations on the same day?!”

Iwaizumi looked down at Bokuto, “Well… It is Halloween you know? Like, everyone celebrates it on the same day?”

Bokuto groaned in pain and shook his head, “We are doomed; we will be known as the academy who forgot about Halloween for the rest of our lives!”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, “What if we make them?” He suggested.

“Make them?” Daichi tilted his head, “We have classes to teach, unless you mean staying over night!”

Iwaizumi squinted his eyes, “We wouldn’t have to. I mean, yeah we have classes to teach… To students… To kids…” He repeated reinforcing the words as if he was trying to say something.

“Ooooooh!!!” Daichi pointed at Iwaizumi, “Why didn’t I think of that!?”

Bokuto looked at them both, “I don’t follow.”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “Well we have kids, they love crafting stuff... They are like a decoration factory.”

Bokuto gasped loudly. “You did not…” He whispered offended.

Iwaizumi glanced at Daichi confused, “I did not what?”

Daichi looked back at Bokuto trying to find an answer as well.

“You did not call our precious tiny humans a ‘decoration factory’!” He repeated the words as if Iwaizumi had said something horrible. “They are precious people who enjoy the arts and crafts as we all should!”

Iwaizumi groaned in annoyance, “Call it what you want, but we have the perfect opportunity to get stuff done before the holidays, and we have everything we need in here.”

Daichi crossed his arms, “I don’t know, I mean Bokuto has a point, the children are not a factory…”

“Oh no, don’t get me wrong, I totally agree we should have them make the stuff.” Bokuto said standing up. “I just won’t take the ‘decoration factory’ term.” He shrugged “Besides, it’s a relief because I didn’t have anything planned for today.”

Iwaizumi turned to him with a frown, “You didn’t have anything planned? Then what were you going to do?!”

Bokuto shrugged, “Rely on Natsu to come up with a suggestion and then pretend she convinced me to do it.”

Iwaizumi widened his eyes “How can-“

“Guys! Focus!” Daichi interrupted them again, “How are we going to go about this?”

Bokuto chuckled, “My students are toddlers, and making them work on Halloween decorations throughout the day will make this the best day of their lives.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “Mine are a bit older, but when it comes to gluing and painting stuff up, they’ll be all over it."

Daichi sighed “I guess mine too, but mine should also have some proper work to do…”

“Not necessarily, I mean it’s just for today.” Suga’s voice made them turn their heads to the door. “But if you really feel uneasy doing it that way, we can have a few hours for the making of decorations and then focus on normal classes. The benefit of our students being older means they’ll probably make the stuff faster.”

Daichi smiled at Suga, “Yeah I think you’re right. We can do it that way. I’ll tell Kiyoko we’ve solved the crisis once she gets here.”

They all nodded and walked towards their classrooms. Iwaizumi began to prepare the items and equipment they’d need for the crafting, and as he was doing so his phone buzzed in his pocket.

>> Good morning! How are you doing??

 _Oikawa_. They had been texting each other since the day at the theater, and although they hadn’t met in person, Iwaizumi could feel he was getting to know him at least a bit better.

>> Morning. Everything’s ok. You?

He replied and smiled to himself. It was odd having someone to text on a daily basis, he had never done that in his life and it was definitely a new sensation he was having trouble getting used to.

>> Ahh!! I’m so nervous! I’m leaving tomorrow >.<

 _That’s right…_ Iwaizumi had been so engulfed in their constant talks and his own work that he had completely forgotten Oikawa was leaving for a while on tour. He sighed and began to type.

>> I’m sure you’ll do great. Just hurry up and come back.

Even though he had only written those words, he could feel his cheeks burning up and his breath fastening. Oikawa took a bit to reply but he finally did.

>> Thank you.

 _Thank you? Really?_ _Well maybe he was busy at the moment_ …. Iwaizumi sighed and put his phone down before continuing with his work. His students would be arriving soon enough and if they were going to go ahead with this decoration facto- with this arts and crafts loving activity, he would have to have everything set up for them to get to work as soon as possible.

 

\-----

 

As the day progressed and the students continued to make their own decorations, Iwaizumi helped them out as much as he could so they wouldn’t mess anything up. Between students he would glance at his phone every once in a while wondering if Oikawa had texted him, but his screen was blank. 

At some point a bit before lunch, the bell above the entrance door rang. Iwaizumi thought it would have been Kiyoko but just as he remembered she had arrived hours ago, he heard a familiar voice.

“Iwaizumi? Yeah, he’s in his classroom right now. Is it urgent?” Kiyoko said to the person at the door.

“Oh no! I just wanted to come by and see him, does he have a break any time soon?” A sweet childish voice asked. Iwaizumi widened his eyes and looked to the door.

“Well lunch break will be in a few minutes I think.” Kiyoko replied.

Soon after saying those words the students from Suga and Daichi’s classroom began to exit into the hallways and go towards the dining room.

“Oh well I guess the break started now.” Iwaizumi could hear Kiyoko say between the noises from the hallway.

Iwaizumi guided his students towards the dining room as well, trying to ignore what was going on at the entrance, partly because he was panicking and didn’t know what to do.

Just as he joined his co-workers and was about to begin talking to them while supervising his students, Kiyoko walked in.

“Uhm… Iwaizumi, there’s someone waiting for you at the door.” She spoke carefully.

Iwaizumi looked at her and then back at her students, “Is it important? I need to watch my students."

Daichi tilted his head, “No you don’t; is everything okay? Who is at the door, Kiyoko?”

She shrugged, “I’ve never seen him before, do you know who it is?” She asked to Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi cleared his throat and as he ran his fingers through his hair he could feel his entire body trembling and his cheeks burning up. “Yeah it’s… Oikawa…”

Daichi and Kiyoko widened their eyes, “Oikawa??”

Suga laughed loudly and nudged him on the shoulder, “Then go see him! Stop wasting your time here! He’s leaving soon right?”

Iwaizumi looked at them and frowned, “Well yeah, but I didn’t know he was coming! I’m not….”

Daichi laughed as well, “Ready? You’re not emotionally ready?”

Iwaizumi unconsciously nodded but then his face turned red as his friends laughed even harder.

“Iwaizumi is nervous! I’ve never seen this side of you, Iwaizumi!” Suga said between laughs.

Iwaizumi looked away and cleared his throat, “Whatever, just tell him I’m busy.”

Kiyoko frowned, “I’m not doing that! He’s waiting! You can’t leave him hanging.”

Iwaizumi groaned and as he walked towards the door, unavoidably he looked at his reflection through the window.

“Don’t worry! You look great!” Bokuto yelled from one of the tables where he was helping his students.

“You do, Iwa-chan!!” Natsu yelled excitedly.

Iwaizumi laughed but he knew the pink from his cheeks wasn’t going away any time soon. He left the dining room and walked towards the entrance where Oikawa was standing. He had a broad smile on his face as he looked around the room.

“Oh! Iwaizumi! I love this place! No wonder you like working so much!” He said cheerfully.

As Iwaizumi approached him, he noticed Oikawa was carrying something inside his jacket, something that popped out.

“Uhm… Oikawa… Why are you carrying a dog inside your jacket?” Iwaizumi asked hesitantly.

Oikawa looked down surprised, “Oh!” He giggled and scratched the back of his head, “It’s my dog; I was on the way to take him to a dog-hotel so I decided to stop by.”

Iwaizumi opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He had so many questions…

“Okay first of all, how did you find out where I was working??” He asked.

Oikawa chuckled, “Well… Uhm… There aren’t many kindergarten schools near the bar we met, and when you said going there you mentioned it was near your workplace.”

Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes, “There aren’t many but there must be at least 3 kindergarten schools in the area!”

Oikawa nodded “Yeah, this was my second try.” He laughed cheerfully.

Iwaizumi remained silent for a few seconds, “So… Why did you come? Is everything okay?”

Oikawa now looked at him with a mixture of surprise and shyness, “Yeah, yeah… As I mentioned in my text; I’m leaving tomorrow, and when you replied to please hurry up and come back... I had to see you.” He said looking down at his dog pretending he wasn’t blushing or embarrassed.

 _His ‘thank you’ text made more sense now_ … Iwaizumi cleared his throat, “So… A dog-hotel?” He rose an eyebrow.

Oikawa laughed nervously, “Well, I am leaving for quite some time, and none of my friends want to take care of him because they are either actors on tour, or their apartment won’t allow pets. Or they just don’t like dogs.” He shrugged.

Iwaizumi approached him and took a closer look at the dog. It must have been like 4 months old. “It’s just a puppy, why did you get a dog if you knew you were leaving??”

Oikawa tilted his head, “Well I didn’t get him; I found him.”

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “Fair enough, but why didn’t you take him to a shelter?”

Oikawa shrugged, “I just couldn’t, it didn’t seem right. At first I took it to my sister’s place, I thought it would be a nice present for my nephew, but turns out he’s allergic to dogs so I took it back.”

“Uhm… Iwaizumi?” Kiyoko said poking her head from the doorframe of the hallway, “You know you can go out for lunch for a while, right?”

Iwaizumi turned to her, “What? But what about-?”

Kiyoko shook her head, “I’ll take care of your class; you guys are just doing the decorations so it can’t be too hard right?”

Iwaizumi hesitated but then sighed “I’ll try to be back as soon as possible. Thank you.”

Kiyoko nodded uncomfortably, but before Iwaizumi could ask if she was okay he heard whispers from the other side, _“What did he say?? Is he going?? Ask him if it’s a date!”_ Iwaizumi recognized the voices of his three co-workers. He chuckled and shook his head.

“I’m off then.” He said before walking out of the academy with Oikawa.

“Where would you like to have lunch?” Oikawa asked smiling.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I really don’t mind, but it has to be a place where they allow dogs.” He said pointing at the puppy tucked inside Oikawa’s jacket. “By the way, why are you carrying him like that??”

Oikawa looked at him confused, “Why?? Well because it’s cold, obviously!”

Iwaizumi looked at him surprised, “Why not buy him a coat?”

Oikawa shook his head, “He’s growing so fast, it probably won’t fit him in a week! He’s a Rottweiler, you know? I’m sure he’ll get very big!”

Iwaizumi sighed, “Well there’s a restaurant with a terrace nearby. Let’s go there.”

Oikawa nodded and followed him with the small puppy looking around with amazement at everyone that passed by, and raising his ears to every loud noise he heard. His paws dangled outside Oikawa’s coat and although he constantly tried to put them back it, the dog would simply bring them back out.

Once they arrived at the restaurant, they sat at one of the tables on the terrace and ordered their food. There wasn’t many people inside either, so they didn’t take long to bring out their plates.

“A dog hotel, huh?” Iwaizumi finally spoke breaking the silence.

Oikawa chuckled, “It will be a bit expensive, but I’m really out of options.”

Iwaizumi glanced at the dog that was constantly trying to steal Oikawa’s food. It was an incredibly adorable puppy and Iwaizumi always had a soft spot for dogs. He cleared his throat and hesitated, “I… I could take him in.” He said quickly before he would regret it.

Oikawa looked at him in surprise, “Iwaizumi, I… You don’t have to. I can afford taking him to a hotel where I’m sure they’ll take good care of him. It’s okay.”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “I know you can afford it, and I know they’ll treat him well. But there’s no need if I can take care of him instead for free.”

Oikawa rose an eyebrow, his cheeky smirk back on his face, “For free? Are you sure?”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “There might be a price that we can negotiate once you’re back.” He said looking at his glass and grabbing it to take a sip of water.

Oikawa looked as if he had a hard time containing himself, “Well then, for as long as it’s an affordable price…”

Iwaizumi chuckled, “Oh, I’m sure you can handle it. Besides, I’m very… Flexible.”

Oikawa dropped his knife and fork and began to cough loudly, he really wasn’t used to Iwaizumi flirting back.

Iwaizumi contained his laughter, “So what is it gonna be? Dog-hotel? Or me?”

Oikawa sighed after calming down and shrugged, “Honestly, if it really is okay with you to take care of him while I’m gone, I’ll really appreciate it.”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I’m fine with it; I know my neighbors have a cat so there shouldn’t be a problem when it comes to my apartment either.”

Oikawa nodded, “Thank you then… I don’t have any of his things with me since they were going to provide everything at the hotel, but I can get someone to take them later to your place.”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure I can afford what he needs while he stays with me.” He chuckled.

Oikawa nodded slowly, “Thank you… Really…”

Iwaizumi nodded “What’s his name, by the way?”

Oikawa hesitated, “…Sai.”

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “Sai?”

Oikawa sighed, “Well… Remember I gave it to my nephew? He named him.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “and he named him Sai?”

Oikawa tilted his head and looked rather embarrassed, “He named him… Sailor Moon.”

Iwaizumi remained silent for a few seconds before he broke into loud laughter. Oikawa had never seen him like that, and couldn’t help but blush. He was so used to frowning-grumpy Iwaizumi, that seeing him laugh so loudly and happily made him look more beautiful than he had ever looked. Oikawa gulped and tried to look away, but he was hooked on Iwaizumi’s expression.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Iwaizumi said drying the tears from his face, and calming down, chuckling every once in a while. “I just never imagined you would own a Rottweiler named after Sailor Moon…”

Oikawa remained speechless, but as he managed to come back into his senses he cleared his throat, “Well as I said, it wasn’t my idea…”

Iwaizumi nodded, “I know, but it’s great, I love it.” He laughed. “Should I just call him Sai? Or the full name?”

Oikawa shook his head, “Please don’t use the full name, I don’t want him to get used to it…”He said burying his face in his hands.

Iwaizumi chuckled, “Okay, won’t do.”

They continued to eat, and after a few minutes of simply watching each other Oikawa asked, “Iwaizumi, would you consider this a date?”

Iwaizumi looked at him surprised and although he blushed he tried to find a rational answer. “Hmmm… I’d say it doesn’t really feel like a date, more like a friendly lunch.” He shrugged.

Oikawa nodded slowly, thinking.

“I’m sorry, I hope this doesn’t make you feel bad or anything.” Iwaizumi quickly added.

Oikawa chuckled, “No, not at all. I was just thinking I should invite you to a proper date once I get back.”

Iwaizumi frowned, “What makes you think I’ll accept?”

Oikawa shrugged, “Just a hunch.” He said before winking.

As they finished their lunch, Oikawa insisted on paying once more. Iwaizumi wasn’t too happy about it, but Oikawa continued to say even if it didn’t feel like a date, he wanted Iwaizumi to at least feel like Oikawa had taken him out for lunch.

They walked back to the school, Oikawa talked about some silly accident that happened during rehearsal that made him laugh a lot, but Iwaizumi wasn’t really listening. He was thinking about how close he was to Oikawa, and how hard it was for him to make a move or restraint himself. He didn’t know what to do out of those two things, but having him so close was torturing him.

Suddenly a cold touch interrupted his thoughts, he looked down at his hand and found Oikawa’s fingers tangled between his. They were holding hands, and Iwaizumi didn’t know what to do other than nervously look at Oikawa.

Oikawa smiled at him and continued to tell his story as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, as if they held hands every day and it wasn’t such a bold move for him to go with. Iwaizumi blushed again and looked away to avoid letting Oikawa see his embarrassment.

They continued to walk, and although Iwaizumi didn’t say much, his grip on Oikawa’s hand was tight, almost as if he didn’t want to let him go. He had never held hands with anyone in public, he really was like a teenager in this area…

As they arrived at the school and the bell above them rang, Bokuto showed up at the entrance, “Ohoho! Look who is back!”

Iwaizumi frowned but before he could say anything he watched Bokuto’s eyes move from his face down to his hand. His eyes widened. “Oh my-”

“Bokuto don’t you have a class to take care of??” Kiyoko stopped him from saying anything embarrassing.

Bokuto shook his head, “Naptime, Kiyoko, naptime.”

“Do your students ever do anything but nap?” Iwaizumi walked towards them.

Bokuto chuckled and glanced at Oikawa, “So you’re the pretty actor…. I’m Bokuto, the protector of tiny humans and one of Iwaizumi’s best friends, so watch out! You better not try anything funny or hurt him, he’s one of my tiny humans at heart!” He said trying to sound threatening.

Oikawa laughed “Nice to meet you Bokuto, I’m the pretty actor Oikawa, and won’t do anything to harm this grumpy kindergarten teacher.” He tilted his head, “By the way, has anyone told you you kind of look like an owl?”

Bokuto widened his eyes, “Why thank you!” He turned to Iwaizumi, “I like him; he can stay.”

Iwaizumi chuckled and Oikawa did so as well.

“Iwa-chan!!!!” A loud scream interrupted them. “Iwa-chan you’re back! We were so worried!” Natsu stood by the hallway door, breathing heavily and looking exaggeratedly worried. “You haven’t been here for days!”

Bokuto looked back at her, “No Natsu, he’s only been gone a few hours, just because you took a nap doesn’t mean days have passed.”

Natsu glanced at Bokuto with confused eyes, “Really??” She sighed, “Well that’s good…” She then looked back at Iwaizumi and then at Oikawa; “Iwa-chan, is this man your boyfriend?”

Iwaizumi blushed “Wha-what? No, why?” He laughed nervously.

“Well you’re holding hands, mom and dad hold hands too! Are you married??” She asked excitedly examining Oikawa closely.

“Okay Natsu, I think it’s time we go back to making those cool bats we were making for Halloween!” Bokuto said trying to get her attention.

Natsu hesitated but then turned back and nodded, “Yes, I think we should, we are behind schedule.” They both left.

Iwaizumi couldn’t help but laugh, Natsu was an unusual child with a very loving personality, and it was hard not to like her.

Kiyoko looked back at them, “So is everything okay?” She asked Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi nodded, “Yes, by the way, I’ll be taking this cute puppy home today, but would it be okay if he stays at your office for the rest of the day while I finish up with classes?”

Kiyoko looked at Sai and nodded cheerfully, “Of course, he’s going to stay with you while Oikawa is gone?”

Oikawa blushed at hearing Iwaizumi had been talking about him.

Iwaizumi nodded without noticing Oikawa’s reaction, “Yeah, his name is Sai.”

Kiyoko nodded and patted Sai’s head, “Well feel free to bring him every day if you want. He can stay at my office and I’m sure being around children or at least with people will be better than being alone at your place.” She chuckled.

Iwaizumi smiled, “Thank you, will do.”

Kiyoko sighed, “Well then, I’ll go back to work. It was nice meeting you, Oikawa.”

“Likewise!” Oikawa replied as she walked away.

Once they were left alone at the school’s reception Iwaizumi cleared his throat, “Well then…”

Oikawa nodded, “Yeah, I’m afraid I have to go…” A few awkward seconds of silence evolved the room before Oikawa spoke again, “Well, I’m leaving Sai with you then…” He reached into his coat and grabbed the puppy, he kissed the dog’s head softly before putting him on the floor.

Iwaizumi watched him with a soft smile, “I’ll take good care of him.”

Oikawa looked back into Iwaizumi’s eyes, moving closer to him, “I know you will… I’m jealous of him. I wish it were me the one staying with you…” He said in a low voice.

Iwaizumi cleared his throat, “Well, didn’t you have to go?”

Oikawa chuckled, “I do, I’m very happy I got to see you today…” He leaned closer and softly kissed Iwaizumi on the lips.

Iwaizumi moved forward as well, and just as their lips met the air escaped his lungs. He wanted more, he wanted to tell him to stay and forget about that damn tour, but he mentally tied himself up so he wouldn’t say those words.

“Okay… Now I can leave… Goodbye, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa smiled.

Iwaizumi nodded almost like in a trance and watched him walk towards the door and leave. He sighed and leaned against the counter. _Did Oikawa just call him Iwa-chan??_

“Wow, he really is hot…” Suga’s voice broke the silence of the room. “I’m sorry, I heard there was a puppy so I came but I didn’t think I would find someone so hot standing there and kissing you.” He laughed.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, “Stop mocking me, please.”

Suga tilted his head, “Oh I’m not mocking you, Iwaizumi. He’s really handsome, not my type, but you know, I think you guys will really work together.” He said in a genuine tone.

Iwaizumi squinted his eyes, he was grateful for that comment, and although it had made him feel better he couldn’t help but divert the attention from himself; “So not your type? What would you say is your type?”

Before Suga could reply, Daichi popped his head through the door, “Suga, I finished the science lesson, it’s your turn for English.”

Suga nodded with a smile, “Will be right there! Just a second!”

Daichi nodded and disappeared into the classroom again.

Suga turned to Iwaizumi, his eyes not in their usual sweetness but instead a playfulness had replaced their usual aura; “I guess my type is… Naïve science teachers.” He giggled and walked towards his classroom, “Good luck with the puppy, Iwaizumi.”

Iwaizumi laughed and looked down at Sai who was biting on Iwaizumi’s shoe-laces. He grabbed the dog and walked towards Kioyoko’s office, feeling like his life surely was becoming more interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed it! There's so much I loved about writing this chapter! I have to say Natsu is becoming my favorite character and I hope she'll show up in more fics from this series! She's just so adorable! I know the Natsu from the anime is much older, but I found it more appropriate to make her Bokuto's student. Plus who knows? Maybe in Bokuto's future fic there will be a special mention of her??   
> Aah I wish I had more time to write all the fics of this series! Unfortunately, at the moment, I can only afford to explore IwaOi and DaiSuga! But once I get more time I'll make sure to go with the others!   
> Anyways, please feel free to leave kudos, subscribe, and all that jazz! I'd love to hear what you guys liked most about this chapter in the comments, and if you have any suggestions or any character you'd like to have their own fic please let me know! <333 I love hearing from you all! Also, if you could share this so more people can enjoy it, I would truly appreciate it!
> 
> I wish everyone a wonderful weekend!! <333 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	7. Skype-Dates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I hate you, you know that?” Iwaizumi groaned.
> 
> Oikawa chuckled and waved his hand playfully, “No you don’t! You like me, and you will fall in love with me very soon.”
> 
> Iwaizumi blushed and frowned as he looked away, “Whatever, Trashykawa.”
> 
> Oikawa nodded thoughtfully, “Nice, I approve of that nickname.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aggghhhh~~~ I'm so sorry for being late with this chapter! I had a very tedious weekend and ended up with no time to finish up the chapter! 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it, and I hope you all had a great weekend <333 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

“Okay, are you ready?” Iwaizumi asked Bokuto, trying to hold back the laughter.

Bokuto’s face was red, and his entire body was shaking like a Chihuahua, “I’m not. Can’t we just go to work?”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “It’s a Sunday; school’s closed today.”

Bokuto shrugged, “We have the keys, we can just go and…”

Iwaizumi chuckled, “And?”

“And chill? I don’t know, anything but this.” Bokuto shook his head.

Iwaizumi sighed, “Bokuto, you’ve been talking about this guy for over a year, it’s time. But if you really want to continue down this road we can just go home.” He turned around and began to, very slowly, walk away.

“Wait!” Bokuto said stopping him.

Iwaizumi grinned without turning back to him. “Yes?”

Bokuto hesitated “Okay, I can do this. It’s just ordering coffee…”

Iwaizumi turned to him, “And his name.”

His friend nodded “Yes, yes, but just his name…”

Iwaizumi nodded slowly, “Just his name.” He looked at the cafeteria, “Now can we go in? We’ve been standing on the other side of the road for about an hour, it’s freezing out here.”

Bokuto nodded. They crossed the road in silence, and just as they reached the cafeteria’s door Iwaizumi opened it for Bokuto to go in. Once they both felt the warmth of the place and accustomed to it Iwaizumi looked around.

“Okay, I’ll go find a table,” He said taking a step forward.

“Wait!” Bokuto said in a panic state.

“What? You’re not gonna make me go with you, are you??” Iwiazumi asked a bit annoyed.

“And you’re going to make me go alone?? I don’t even know your order!” Bokuto said before realizing how stupid that excuse was.

“Just a… An Iced Mocha.” Iwaizumi shrugged and walked away.

He found a table in a corner, near a window. Just like he liked it. He took off his coat and sat down. He glanced at Bokuto who nervously waited in line for his turn, and although he tried to catch a glimpse of the waiter his friend was so in love with, he could only see a slim man with messy black hair, and oddly enough a long-sleeved turtleneck shirt with gloves on. Was he that cold?

Iwaizumi’s phone buzzed on the table, bringing him back to real life.

>> Iwa-chan!! 9 pm today??

Ever since Oikawa had left, they had been texting each other constantly, but thanks to Sai they were also video-chatting every now and then. The main excuse was so Oikawa could see his dog and _keep up with how he was growing_ , but in the end, they would only talk about each other. 

>> 9 pm is fine. How’s everything over there?

He texted back and then looked at Bokuto, he was about to order and he could hear his loud stuttering voice all the way from the other side of the cafeteria. Thank goodness it wasn’t very crowded.

>>Aaahh!! I’m exhausted >.< Plus Ushiwaka-chan is being super mean!!

 _Ah. Ushijima. That’s right._ The big threatening guy that told Iwaizumi to back off. He wasn’t brave enough yet to tell Oikawa what had happened that day, and he wasn’t sure if asking Oikawa about him and their history was a good idea…

>>I hope things get better.

He didn’t know what else to reply. He was too busy wondering about Ushijima’s intentions and the meaning behind his threat.

Bokuto flopped down across from him on the opposite chair.

“Well, that was quick.” Iwaizumi chuckled.

Bokuto’s cheeks were bright pink, “Yeah…” He handed Iwaizumi his coffee.

“…Please tell me you asked for his name?” He rose his eyebrow and feared for a negative answer.

Bokuto nodded quickly, “Yeah yeah…”

Iwaizumi waited for a few seconds but didn’t receive an answer “So?”

“Oh, his name is Akaashi…” Bokuto said distractedly.

“Is everything okay?” Iwaizumi asked starting to get slightly concerned for his friend.

“Oh yeah yeah… I just…” Bokuto started but didn’t finish. He glanced back to the counter but Iwaizumi couldn’t see the so-called Akaashi. Instead, another waiter had taken over the orders.

“Bokuto?” Iwaizumi asked looking back at his friend.

“I think… I think I have a date with him? right now?” Bokuto frowned confusedly.

Iwaizumi hesitated, “A date?”

Bokuto shrugged, “He told me his shift is over and to wait for him…”

Iwaizumi began to laugh loudly, “Say no more, I’m leaving, I’m leaving. Good luck!” Bokuto looked at him with puppy eyes, almost reminding him of the precious Rottweiler that waited for him at home. “Don’t worry, everything will go alright.” He tried to reassure his friend while putting his coat on.

Bokuto nodded hesitantly but didn’t get to say anything else. Iwaizumi could see Akaashi exiting the staff room so he rushed outside before he would make things awkward between them.

As he walked through the streets of Tokyo, he checked his phone only to see an unread message that Oikawa must have sent a while ago when Iwaizumi was talking to Bokuto.

>>Is everything okay over there?

Iwaizumi felt nervous, could it be that Oikawa had noticed Iwaizumi felt uneasy talking about Ushijima? He wanted to stop his mind from wondering off to thoughts like; why does Oikawa refer to Ushijima as Ushiwaka-chan, or why is Ushijima so close and protective of him when Oikawa supposedly just started his career as an actor?

>>Why?? Yeah, of course.

He replied, probably denoting his panicky state with that double ‘?’. Oikawa replied after a few minutes.

>>Just asking.

Iwaizumi groaned, he didn’t know what else to reply, he wasn’t good at texting, let alone when it came to awkward things like this.

He walked home in silence, trying to ignore his buzzing phone. If it was Oikawa; he preferred to let him send as many messages as he wanted to and, later on, tell him he was busy and couldn’t reply on time, but at that moment he wasn’t going to be able to give him a proper answer without blurting out _“what’s up between you and Ushijima?_.”

He arrived at his apartment, and he was immediately greeted by a hyper puppy that had peed almost everywhere and chewed on a pair of shoes he had left unattended by his bed. He sighed but then chuckled, feeling like Sai was nothing but a metaphor to his love-life.

He began to clean up the dog’s mess and once everything was neatly organized, he sat on his couch and turned on his console to play some video games. Sai jumped on the couch as well and lied next to him.

 

\-------

 

After about half an hour someone knocked on Iwaizumi’s door. As grumpy as he always felt about visits, he rose to his feet and walked to the door, the dog following him excitedly and barking every now and then with his high pitch tone.

Iwaizumi opened the door and found Suga standing there with a goofy smile.

“Suga??” Iwaizumi frowned.

“Boy is it hard to get you to pick up your phone!” He said while barging into his apartment regardless of whether he was invited or not.

Iwaizumi closed the door after pulling Sai back into the apartment, “What’s wrong?”

Suga looked at him confused while taking off his coat, “What do you mean what’s wrong?”

Iwaizumi tilted his head, “In all the years we’ve known each other you've only showed up on my doorstep unannounced twice, the first one was when your cat died, and the second when you watched titanic for the first time and you were a sobbing mess.”

Suga laughed “So what are you trying to say?”

Iwaizumi crossed his arms, “I mean something happened that made you sad or at least not okay, but I don’t know the gravity of the situation.”

Suga waved his hand in dismissal, “Nonsense, I just came by to spend some time with my favorite co-worker.”

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “We both know I’m not your favorite co-worker. Does this have to do with your real favorite co-worker?”

Suga’s face froze and his eyes pierced Iwaizumi’s. They both remained silent and although it seemed as if Suga was dying to blurt out the words, he pursed his lips tightly so his own mouth wouldn’t fail him.

“You were playing video-games?” He said trying to change the subject and bring back the cheerfulness into his eyes to not let tears gather in them.

Iwaizumi sighed, “That bad, huh?”

Suga ignored him and walked towards the living-room, picking up Sai on the way and sitting on the couch with him.

Iwaizumi shook his head slowly but followed him. They both sat on the couch and played video-games, not talking about whatever was bothering Suga so much, and simply ignoring his current emotional state.

“How did it go with Bokuto?” Suga asked without taking his eyes off from the TV.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I guess well enough since he’s on a date with the mysterious barista.”

Suga laughed “Well that’s good! Is he handsome?”

Iwaizumi tilted his head, “I guess he is, but I think he has a thing with germs.”

Suga looked quickly at him before glancing back at the TV and moving his fingers on the controller, “How so?”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I don’t know, he was covered up to his neck and was wearing gloves?”

“Gloves? Like winter gloves? Or like doctor gloves?” Suga asked in a more serious tone.

“Like butler gloves?” Iwaizumi answered, half-asking himself if those were even a specific type of gloves.

“Oh, I see… Hmm… Maybe he was cold? I mean we are having a pretty rough autumn this year.” Suga said initiating a chain of ideas that could explain Akaashi’s oddness.

“I guess, but inside the cafeteria? It was pretty warm when I was in there…” Iwaizumi replied.

“Maybe staff uniform?” Suga moved his arms as if he was trying to make the game move in the same direction.

“He was the only one dressed like that. The place wasn’t big or crowded to begin with, like one of those independent cafeterias, not a chain with an actual uniform.” Iwaizumi mumbled.

“Ah! Seriously?? Bokuto must have been spending quite a lot of money if he goes on a daily basis to a private cafeteria!” Suga said loudly.

Iwaizumi turned to him “Private cafeteria?”

Suga shrugged, “You know, like a private school. I just don’t know how to call those not-a-chain-cafeterias.”

Iwaizumi thought about it for a few seconds and then shrugged, “Yeah I guess private cafeteria makes sense.”

They both nodded, focused on the game.

“So what’s his name?” Suga asked again.

“Whose name?” Iwaizumi asked distractedly.

“The cute barista,” Suga repeated in a playful tone.

“Oh! Bokuto said his name was Akaashi.” Iwaizumi replied.

“Hmm… Sounds cute. Was he cute then? You know aside from all the gloves thing?” Suga asked chuckling.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I guess he was, didn’t really get a very good look at him, but he seemed alright from afar.”

Suga nodded “Well let’s hope the gloves are not for murdering. Otherwise, tomorrow we’ll have to search for a new teacher. Can’t bear the thought of putting up with Natsu by myself throughout the entire day.” He laughed.

Iwaizumi laughed with him and they continued to play in silence. Neither of them speaking about their worries nor they people they felt for the most.

 

\-------

 

As night drew closer, Suga stood up and yawned; “Well I think I should go home, you have a skype date, and I don’t want to be any more of a bother.”

Iwaizumi groaned, “Suga, you know I can cancel it. If you want to stay you can stay, you know this is your home too.”

Suga simply laughed playfully and hugged his friend, “Maybe next time, I also want some time alone tonight.” He winked at his friend and grabbed his coat.

Iwaizumi followed him to the door and opened it for him, “Well if you need anything or if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

“Thank you, say hi to pretty actor for me!” He waved goodbye to his friend as he left the apartment.

Iwaizumi closed the door before Sai could rush out after Suga. He took a deep breath and walked back to his living room. As he checked the time he realized it was almost 9 pm. Time for his ‘skype date’ as Suga had called it.

He rushed to the bathroom and began to get ready, he felt stupid, but part of him didn’t want to look tired and crappy when it came to Oikawa. It was, indeed, a Sunday night, and everyone looked crappy on Sundays, but having Oikawa so far from him was painful enough to let the thought of Oikawa not finding him attractive for at least a second become real.

He sat by his desk and pulled up his laptop from his bag. Nervously toying with a pen, he waited for the call to come through.  

A ringing tone woke him from his anxiety, he glanced back at his computer screen and saw Oikawa’s picture flashing up and down as the tone continued to wait for Iwaizumi to stop it by picking up the call. He took a deep breath, checked his hair for the last time and answered it.

“Hello?” He said nervously.

“Iwa-chan! One second.” Oikawa replied with the glorious smile Iwaizumi had learned to appreciate and miss so much. Oikawa turned his face to look at something or someone, “You, leave, now.”

“What?? You’re kicking me out?? On a night like this??” Iwaizumi could identify Kuroo’s voice from the other side.

“Just because Kenma told you he didn’t want to go out for drinks with you, doesn’t mean I have to put up with you tonight. I have someone to talk to, leave.” Oikawa said with a serious tone, but playfully sticking his tongue out to Kuroo.

Iwaizumi could hear Kuroo huffing from behind the camera.

“Oikawa, if you want we can talk some other time…” Iwaizumi said shyly feeling like he was interrupting something.

Oikawa turned back to the camera, “He’s just whining and talking about the beautiful scriptwriter editor he hasn’t had the guts to ask out yet. It’s annoying, and I want to talk to you.”

Iwaizumi laughed thinking of Bokuto, he would probably get along with Kuroo. “Very well then,” He mumbled.

“See?? Even he doesn’t mind-” Kuroo began as an argument but Oikawa rose his finger.

“Out,” He said with his eyes closed and his face turned the other way.

Kuroo chuckled “Fine, but I’ll come by once you’re done. There’s no way I’m not bothering you tonight.” He walked to the door and Iwaizumi could hear it closing.

Oikawa sighed loudly, his eyes still closed. _He looked so damn beautiful…_

“I’m sorry about that.” He finally said.

Iwaizumi chuckled a bit and shook his head, “It’s alright, but really; if he’s not okay and you want to talk to him, there’s no need to do this or anything…”

Oikawa looked at him slightly offended, “Of course I know I don’t have to do this, but I want to. I want to see my baby Sai, and I want to talk to you.”

Iwaizumi blushed a bit, but then he smiled and leaned down to grab the puppy that had lied down at his feet. It seemed the baby Rottweiler only cared about physical contact to not feel lonely, and Iwaizumi appreciated that.

Oikawa’s eyes lightened up as he saw his dog on the other side of the screen, “Oh my gooooood!! Look at him!! Is he getting bigger? I’m sure he is! Oh god, I’m missing out on him growing up!” He said in exaggerated agony.

Iwaizumi laughed, “I’m sure he hasn’t grown all that much, it’s only been a couple of weeks. But what he does is pee and chew on everything when I’m gone.”

Oikawa covered his face with his hands, “I’m sorry! I’ll replace anything that he has broken!”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “Don’t worry about it, it doesn’t feel so lonely with him around so he makes up for that.” He laughed while caressing the back of the dog’s neck. Sai had lied down on his lap with his head against the table.

“How’s Tokyo without me?” Oikawa asked shyly.

“Exactly the same as always,” Iwaizumi replied in a dull tone.

“Mean, Iwa-chan! You’re so mean!” He pouted, “Do you even miss me??”

Iwaizumi tilted his head, “Of course I miss you, and I wish we didn’t have to get to know each other better through skype, but in person.”

Oikawa’s cheeks turned pink and as he looked to the side he nodded, “I know… But!” He turned cheerfully back to Iwaizumi, “At least it’s something right?”

Iwaizumi laughed “Yeah I guess, so what questions do you have today?”

Thinking of questions throughout the day and then asking each other those things during their skype-dates was a game they had created to get to know each other better. They could go from daily things like favorite color or favorite food to very deep things.

Oikawa giggled, “Well hmmm… I want to start by… Biggest turn on?”

Iwaizumi looked at him surprised and then laughed, “Oh wow, we are starting right away with that?”

Oikawa giggled again and nodded, “I’ve been wanting to ask you this for quite a while…”

“How so?” Iwaizumi chuckled.

Oikawa shrugged, “I think I know the answer but I want to confirm it.”

Iwaizumi laughed loudly, “Isn’t that like cheating, though? Asking something you might already know?”

Oikawa thought about it for a while but then shook his head, “I might know, but don’t know for sure.”

Iwaizumi sighed and nodded, “Well, what’s your guess?” He asked putting Sai on the ground so he could go drink water.

Oikawa grinned, “I’d say my guess are my moans.”

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow and laughed trying to pretend his guess was wrong, “Your moans? What makes you think-”

But his voice was cut out by a soft moan that escaped through Oikawa’s lips. Iwaizumi clenched his jaw after noticing his mouth had fallen wide open, and his eyes moved down to the keyboard.

“Is this not the answer, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa moaned softly.

Iwaizumi looked away, “No.”

Oikawa laughed and shook his head, “I dare you to count to ten out loud while I moan without losing track.”

Iwaizumi knew he was playing with fire and he was most probably going to get burned but agreed to do it anyways.

“One… Two… Three…” Iwaizumi counted with his eyes closed while Oikawa’s moans rang in his ears, slowly his mind began to drift away, imagining Oikawa’s perfect body moving on top of him, his perfect bare chest with his marbled hips bobbing up and down… His lips, pink and wet as the moans escaped his lungs…

“Iwa-chan.” Oikawa interrupted his thoughts.

Iwaizumi opened his eyes and looked back at him, feeling like he had just woken up from a trance. “What?” He asked with a rusty low voice.

“You stopped counting at 6 and you were kinda moaning as well…” Oikawa said hesitantly before laughing loudly.

Iwaizumi covered his face with his hands, “You bastard…” He mumbled.

Oikawa laughed even louder, “Don’t worry, I won’t use this against you… Often.” His naughty smirk brought shivers down Iwaizumi’s spine.

“I hate you, you know that?” Iwaizumi groaned.

Oikawa chuckled and waved his hand playfully, “No you don’t! You like me, and you will fall in love with me very soon.”

Iwaizumi blushed and frowned as he looked away, “Whatever, Trashykawa.”

Oikawa nodded thoughtfully, “Nice, I approve of that nickname.”

Iwaizumi sighed “So how many more weeks left?”

Oikawa tilted his head as he counted, “Hmmm… About three or four. So I guess I’ll be back in a month.”

Iwaizumi nodded thinking, “How are things with Ushijima?”

Oikawa frowned, “Why?”

“I don’t know… You mentioned he was being mean to you.” He shrugged.

Oikawa’s face showed that he didn’t buy it, but he chose to not ask any further, “Well he’s the way he is. He’s always mean to me.” He laughed, “I mess up sometimes, and there’s a lot of pressure considering this is my first job, he just wants me to do this properly.”

Iwaizumi nodded slowly, “Are the shows going alright?" 

Oikawa nodded eagerly and scratched the back of his head, “As I said, I mess up sometimes… But oh well… They are all being very supportive of me, and Kuroo is a great help. This isn’t his first job so he tells me how to do things to not have Ushijima yelling at me.”

“I hope the all go well.” Iwaizumi said in a low voice. He really wanted to ask him about Ushijima and their relationship, at least his reason for that man to threaten him, but he knew it wasn’t the right time nor the proper way to do it. He had to ask him that in person, if they had a past or if they were a thing… He had to know in person and not through skype with miles of distance between them.

 

\-------

 

They continued to talk for a long while, asking each other questions of all kinds of things, and putting Sai back on camera every once in a while. Iwaizumi hated feeling that he missed someone, but he couldn’t help feel happy that he was feeling like that for someone else again, and this time the person reciprocated those feelings publicly without caring about what others might say.

“I miss you Iwa-chan.” Oikawa finished, his face becoming tired and his messy hair all over his face.

“Come back already, Trashykawa…” Iwaizumi replied with a tired tone before yawning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously, once DaiSuga's fic reaches the timeline for this fic we will know what happened between them for Suga to show up at Iwaizumi's apartment! I'm so excited for when all the timelines finally start to match up!! Also writing about BokuAka definitely made me want to start writing the first chapter, hopefully soon <333\. 
> 
> I hope you guys loved this chapter as much as I did, again I'm very sorry for being late! Feel free to comment to let me know what you think and feel about these cuties, or subscribe, bookmark, etc! Share it so others can enjoy it <333   
> Love you guys!! <333
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	8. Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know, it’s not fair.” Iwaizumi said, lying next to Oikawa who had moved back and rested his weight on his elbow.
> 
> “What isn’t fair?” Oikawa asked before slowly kissing Iwaizumi’s chest.
> 
> “That I’m the only one who isn’t wearing a shirt?” He grinned.
> 
> Oikawa looked up to him, and they both laughed again, “Okay I’ll take off my shirt, but you know that won’t lead us to the date I had in mind, right?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, please make sure to check the new tags! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, I sure did. I have to say for some reason when I think of Oikawa and Iwaizumi interact in such adorable way, I can't help but listen to the Pride and Prejudice's song 'dawn' haha... Corny, I know, but I'll do whatever helps me write! 
> 
> Anyways, I thought chapter 8 was a good number to start delivering on the smut :3 please enjoy and have a lovely weekend. 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

Autumn was gone, and if the tree leaves left with it, now the snow arrived with the coldness of winter. Iwaizumi had mentally counted the days for his idiotic friend Oikawa to come back. _Was friend even a word he could apply to him?_ Regardless, he couldn’t help but feel the flutter in his chest and the excitement in his stomach. He knew Oikawa was in town that very day. His flight had landed in Tokyo’s airport a few hours ago, and that made him feel like there wasn’t enough air in the world for him to be able to breathe.

His nervousness at work was more than evident, hearing the giggles of his co-workers here and there or the occasional stare from Kiyoko made it clear. No one asked nor said a thing because they knew. They knew the reason for Iwaizumi’s odd and unusual excitement, but they also knew it wouldn’t be a good idea for them to ‘mock’ or say anything about it. Right now Iwaizumi was again that frightened deer trying to find a proper path through the woods, and startling him could end things drastically for what could potentially be a reason for him to not be so grumpy all the time.

Iwaizumi felt as if he was drowning, not in fear nor anxiety, those were bad feelings. He felt like he was drowning in the anticipation and excitement of his own heart skipping a thousand beats at the sole thought of finally seeing Oikawa, not through a screen, but in real life. Maybe having him so far from him hadn’t been for good? Instead, that slowly drove Iwaizumi insane, to the point of needing him so badly; he wondered how the pores of his skin would look from up-close, he wanted to examine him, to smell the scent of his perfume, to hear the sound of his laughter. In person, and not through a screen. Face to face.

After long hours of work, and when he was finally cleaning up his desk, his phone emitted the sweet sound of the buzzing against the wooden table. Iwaizumi quickly picked it up, partly feeling like an idiot for rushing so much, but also feeling like it didn’t matter. He had already waited too long, he was allowed to rush this at least.

>>Can I see you tonight?

Oikawa; his way of being serious was by not adding dumb emojis everywhere he could. Iwaizumi laughed at the question, they had already agreed to meet up that night, but Oikawa seemed to prefer to constantly ask for ‘consent’ as he liked to tauntingly call it.

>>No.

Iwaizumi replied jokingly.

>>Awww!!! >.< And here I was hoping I could see you… After all this time… Really???

Oikawa replied almost immediately.

>>Well I guess I could change my mind. When and where?

Before Iwaizumi could even look up from the screen, his phone buzzed in his hands once more.

>>Outside your school, now.

Iwaizumi could feel his heart beating as fast as it had ever done. Oikawa was standing outside his building? And no one had told him that? His co-workers sure were assholes. He chuckled and finished gathering his things into his bag and grabbed his coat. He walked to the door, and there he was.

“What are you doing?! You should be wearing your coat! It’s freezing out here!” Oikawa urged him, taking the bag from Iwaizumi’s hand so he could put on his coat.

Iwaizumi groaned, “I’m not a little kid, you know? Besides, it’s not that cold.”

Oikawa chuckled, “Well you sure act like a little kid. Have you been eating these days while I was gone??” He asked trying to imitate a motherly tone.

“Oh boy, thank god my mother doesn’t sound like that. I would have had a terrifying childhood.” Iwaizumi joked.

Oikawa stuck his tongue out at him playfully. “So where do you want to go?”

Iwaizumi looked at him confused. “What do you mean?”

“Well before I left, I told you I was taking you out on a proper date. Where would you, my darling date, like to go?” He asked bowing down far too politely.

Iwaizumi chuckled and shook his head, “I didn’t think you were being serious on that. I don’t need you to take me out on any date.” He replied while taking his bag back from Oikawa’s hands and walking forward.

Oikawa followed him with quick steps so he could reach him and walk by his side, “Well, I didn’t ask you if you needed to. But I want to, do you want to?”

Iwaizumi hesitated, “I don’t know.”

Oikawa watched him as they walked, “You don’t know?”

Iwaizumi shook his head, and although he looked away, his eyes were pensive trying to find the words, “I… I’ve never been on a date.” He finally confessed.

Oikawa stopped still, his hands buried in his pockets and his jaw almost hitting the ground. “You’ve what??”

Iwaizumi looked back at him, and once he saw his exaggerated reaction he rolled his eyes. “Look, I haven’t been in too many relationships.” He shrugged and continued walking.

Oikawa rushed up to him once more, “What does that mean??” He asked curiously.

Iwaizumi sighed, “It means the first person I was with, was with a woman. In High School. I wasn’t only barely able to be alone with her, but it also didn’t take long for me to realize I wasn’t that much into women, as I am into men.”

Oikawa nodded, “and the second?”

Iwaizumi remained silent for a few minutes. “…He… He wanted to keep things a secret.” That was a good way of summarizing it.

Oikawa sighed, “Oh, so one of those…” He mumbled almost as if he knew the rest of the story with just that.

Iwaizumi nodded and looked away, “Yeah, one of those…” He repeated.

Oikawa chuckled and grabbed him by the arm, stopping him still. Iwaizumi turned to him, but before he could say anything, Oikawa slowly pressed his lips against Iwaizumi’s. They remained there for a few seconds, in silence, feeling the cold envelope them.

“I’m sorry…” Oikawa finally whispered, his warm hand on Iwaizumi’s cheek.

“Sorry for what?” Iwaizumi mumbled, looking at Oikawa’s lips.

“I… I know you’re not comfortable with being kissed so suddenly.” He cleared his throat, “We said we would take it slowly.”

Iwaizumi wanted to smile, but part of him was melting on the inside regardless of how cold his body felt. He couldn’t handle the sweetness and warmth of Oikawa’s words.

“I guess I just wanted to show you…” Oikawa continued, “That I’m not one of those…”

Iwaizumi looked up into Oikawa’s eyes. They were almost as warm as his words, forgetting about all the desire and lust, and leaving place for the tender care they had built for each other through those few months where all they did was nothing but talk to each other, ask silly questions, and sometimes even fall asleep with their computers next to each other.

“I know you’re not.” Iwaizumi replied in a whisper. After a while he sighed, “How about you walk me home, I leave my stuff in my apartment, you get to say hello to Sai, and then we go out?”

Oikawa’s serious face slowly turned into a smile, and Iwaizumi smiled as well, both of them continued their walk forward towards Iwaizumi’s apartment.

 

\----

 

Once they arrived, as per usual, Sai had made a complete mess of the place. Iwaizumi had learned to leave him in the kitchen, barricaded with a few chairs so he wouldn’t manage to escape and trash the entire place.

“Make yourself at home, I’ll clean up this mess. Don’t worry.” Iwaizumi said as he finally let Sai out of the kitchen.

The dog happily greeted Iwaizumi, but once he laid eyes on Oikawa, he began to whimper with happiness and jump up and down trying to get Oikawa’s attention. Oikawa, who was almost on the verge of tears, dropped to his knees and began to greet his dog back.

“Oh my god I’ve missed you so much…” Oikawa whispered over and over. Iwaizumi chuckled as he heard them both happily enjoying the reunion.

 He quickly cleaned the kitchen and once he was done, he found Oikawa sitting on his couch with the dog, carefully patting him. It was only when Iwaizumi approached them that he realized the carefulness was due to Sai being asleep on Oikawa’s lap.

“I’ll go get changed.” Iwaizumi whispered. Oikawa nodded.

Iwaizumi walked to his room and began to pick something nice to wear for the date. He took off his T-shirt, and before he could look at himself in the mirror and realize there was someone standing behind him, he felt slightly cold hands caressing his back.

Iwaizumi looked up, he could see Oikawa through the mirror, his eyes looking down at Iwaizumi’s muscled back. Oikawa slowly began to kiss Iwaizumi’s neck, while his hands traced forward towards his stomach, where they met each other. Oikawa’s arms tangled together, hugging Iwaizumi from behind.

Slowly, Iwaizumi grabbed one of Oikawa’s hands and moved it up to his lips.

“I’ve missed you, and I don’t even understand how I could have missed so much someone I just met.” Oikawa whispered, closing his eyes and resting his forehead on Iwaizumi’s shoulder.

Iwaizumi chuckled, he had asked himself the same question all those days, trying to figure out how on earth it was possible to miss someone he had only met in person a few times and the rest had been skype conversations. “I’ve missed you too…” He finally admitted, his voice cutting with shyness.

Iwaizumi slowly turned to Oikawa, and although he hated having to get on the tip of his toes, he reached up to Oikawa’s height to carefully kiss his tender lips. “Can I kiss you?” He asked hesitantly before their skin touched.

Oikawa chuckled, “Please do…” He whispered, moving forward as well.

As they slowly kissed, feeling the electricity run from each other’s bodies, all they could translate it into was the warmth they had longed for all those months.

Oikawa carefully stepped back, knowing the bed was right behind him. Once his ankle hit against the edge of it, he carefully sat on it, not leaving Iwaizumi’s lips.

Iwaizumi tried to follow him but clumsily fell on his side, making both men end up in loud laughter.

“You know, it’s not fair.” Iwaizumi said, lying next to Oikawa who had moved back and rested his weight on his elbow.

“What isn’t fair?” Oikawa asked before slowly kissing Iwaizumi’s chest.

“That I’m the only one who isn’t wearing a shirt?” He grinned.

Oikawa looked up to him, and they both laughed again, “Okay I’ll take off my shirt, but you know that won’t lead us to the date I had in mind, right?”

Iwaizumi couldn’t help but yawn loudly, leaving tears in his eyes, “That’s alright, to be honest, I’m not feeling very energetic to leave this bed right now…” He confessed.

Oikawa laughed, but unavoidably ended up yawning as well. “They say yawning is contagious…” He mumbled while sitting back up.

“Does that mean you’re not tired?” Iwaizumi asked, flexing up to rest his weight on his hands.

“Oh god no, I’m exhausted.” Oikawa chuckled, “I was just mumbling out loud.”

Iwaizumi titled his head, “Then why did you sit up?”

Oikawa looked back at him while he fiddled with something on his chest, “Well you complained about me wearing a t-shirt, didn’t you?” He said moving his hands to the sides and taking off the white and perfectly ironed t-shirt.

Iwaizumi smiled and lied back down. Oikawa followed his movements lying next to him, letting his bare chest in full view. Iwaizumi watched it and studied it before he was interrupted by Oikawa himself, who kissed him once more, moving his body closer to Iwaizumi’s.

Slowly, Iwaizumi could feel his body not only warming up but burning to the touch of Oikawa’s skin against his. Unable to help himself, he moved his lips away from Oikawa’s and buried his teeth in Oikawa’s neck. A soft moan escaped his delicate lips, which made Iwaizumi feel the hardness in his pants worsening.

“Iwa-chan…” Oikawa softly whispered, trying to gasp for air.

Iwaizumi looked into his eyes with hunger, “So that’s your big turn on?”

Oikawa’s cheeks turned red, but before he could say anything else, Iwaizumi pushed him back against the bed, moving his lips back against Oikawa’s neck, and running his tongue through it.

The kisses on Oikawa’s neck caused for him to get turned on, which made him moan. Oikawa’s moans only made Iwaizumi get harder and harder. What a predicament.

“Iwa-chan… I.. I don’t think I’ll be able to hold back if you don’t stop…” Oikawa’s voice shook, and his eyes looked down at the bulge between his legs. Iwaizumi chuckled and unbuttoned Oikawa’s pants.

“I said I wanted to go slowly, not that I needed a date before we took it any further.” His voice sounded hungrier than he intended.

Oikawa’s breath was fast, and his eyes were closed. Almost as if he feared for what was coming next. Iwaizumi moved his hand down inside Oikawa’s underwear, and as he touched his length, a loud moan escaped Oikawa’s lungs.

Iwaizumi moved his hand with a mixture of delicacy and excitement, he had longed for this moment all these months, wondering all kinds of things, and finally, he had Oikawa all to himself. He wanted to enjoy every bit of it.

While his hand moved inside Oikawa’s underwear, his lips moved down leaving a trail of kisses from his neck down to his chest, and finally arriving at one of Oikawa’s nipples. There, he began to slowly lick it and softly biting it once or twice.

“Iwa-chan…” Oikawa whispered, his voice shaking with the inevitable moans. For the looks of it, he had reserved himself for this night and had probably longed for it as much as Iwaizumi.

“Oikawa...” Iwaizumi purred in Oikawa’s ear before going back to what he was doing.

The look of Oikawa’s face, his beautiful eyes almost shut as he pushed his head back trying to contain himself, the way he bit his lower lip, and when he didn’t, the moans escaped loudly and melting, leaving a trail of saliva after them.

Iwaizumi, unable to hold back anymore, moved his hand away and stood up.

“What’s wrong? Are you o-” Oikawa’s concern wasn’t going through Iwaizumi’s head at the moment, he was preoccupied with pulling down entirely his pants and underwear, leaving his beautiful actor entirely naked right in front of him.

Oikawa’s face was red, his breath was fast and his body was trembling. But his eyes were as hungry as ever. 

Slowly, he sat up, and pulled Iwaizumi’s hip closer to him, he parted his lips and began to unbutton Iwaizumi’s pants with his teeth. Iwaizumi melted at the sight, he knew his cock was throbbing inside his underwear, and it wouldn’t take long for it to pop out from his underwear.

Just as he predicted, once Oikawa had pulled down Iwaizumi’s pants, Oikawa’s eyes widened at the big sized length in front of him.

Iwaizumi chuckled and leaned down to Oikawa, they kissed once more, tangling each other’s tongues together. Iwaizumi carefully pushed Oikawa’s back against the bed and position himself on top of him.

“Iwa-chan wait…” Oikawa’s concern, once more…

Iwaizumi smirked, “Don’t worry, we won’t do it tonight. Besides, I usually prefer to top.”

Oikawa’s face reddened once more, but whatever thought he had in his mind disappeared once Iwaizumi grabbed his length again, but, this time, he didn’t precisely feel Iwaizumi’s palm against his skin. Instead, Iwaizumi was massaging both their lengths together, slowly and hard.

Oikawa’s moans surrounded the room, Iwaizumi’s eyes wanted to close and enjoy the moment, a habit he had picked with all the one-night partners, but, this time, he wanted to watch, to see Oikawa’s expression, his body crawl with pleasure and excitement.

One of Oikawa’s hands gripped the sheets tightly while the other scratched Iwaizumi’s forearm.

“Ahh... Iwa-chan… I’m going to…” His voice was faint, trembling as much as his body.

Iwaizumi grinned, “Not yet.” His rusty voice sent shivers down Oikawa’s spine. Iwaizumi squeezed his hand, tightening his grip on Oikawa’s length, making him unable to cum.

He moaned in a mixture of pain and pleasure, his hands crazily searched for something to hold on to because the sheets didn’t feel like they were enough anymore.

Iwaizumi bit his lip to avoid moaning with him, he felt close to the ecstasy as well, and with a soft movement, he released the pressure on both their cocks.

Oikawa’s eyes shut tightly, a loud groan escaped his lips, and Iwaizumi followed, but with a much softer sound, almost silent.

As they both looked at each other, their eyes melted with passion and desire, they tried to calm down and adjust their breathing pace to a normal one.

“You’re horrible, Iwa-chan.” Oikawa said trying to contain a smile.

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “Oh, I thought you enjoyed every bit of that.”

Oikawa chuckled and pulled Iwaizumi closer, making his chest dirty up with the warm cum that covered Oikawa’s own chest.

“I didn’t know you were so dominant.” Oikawa said between kisses.

Iwaizumi laughed before gently biting Oikawa’s lower lip, “I don’t think I’m dominant, but I do prefer to be in control.”

Oikawa chuckled, “Isn’t that the same thing?”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “Call it what you want, for as long as it’s not a bad thing.”

Oikawa shook his head while laughing, “Oh no, believe me; it’s not a bad thing at all.”

They kissed one more time before Iwaizumi sighed, “You know, now I’m tired, for real.”

Oikawa laughed and rested his head against the bed, “Yeah, it’s late. I’ll head home.”

Iwaizumi sat up and looked at him with confused eyes, “Why?”

Oikawa rose an eyebrow, “So you can sleep?”

Iwaizumi tilted his head, “Or you can stay the night.”

Oikawa’s eyes lightened up, “Are you sure??”

Iwaizumi chuckled and stood up, he handed Oikawa a pack of tissues to clean himself, “Do you want me to lend you some clothes to sleep in?”

Oikawa grabbed some tissues and began to clean his chest, “No, I can sleep in my underwear.”

Iwaizumi watched him, his eyes squinting.

Oikawa looked up to him and then stopped, “What?”

Iwaizumi smiled, “Nothing, this just reminds me of when we met, you got my shirt dirty and you handed me a pack of tissues.”

Oikawa looked down and then chuckled, “Well yeah, except I'm not wearing a shirt and the stain was coffee, not cum.”

They both laughed, and after they were done cleaning themselves, they finally got in bed.

Oikawa’s body was slightly shaking under the sheets.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to lend you some clothes?” Iwaizumi asked in a low and concerned tone.

Oikawa looked at him and shook his head before slowly moving towards him and resting his forehead against Iwaizumi’s chest. Iwaizumi sighed and wrapped his arms against Oikawa.

“Tomorrow I’m taking you on a date…” Oikawa finished, his voice slow and sleepy, his eyes closed, and his breathing slowly calming down as he fell asleep.

“Okay, Trashykawa…” Iwaizumi replied, feeling his entire body relax as he closed his eyes and fell asleep, feeling the warmth of Oikawa’s body and the movement of his slow breaths like the perfect waves of an ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two kill me <333 
> 
> Just as I said in the Glassed View fic, I might make an 8tracks playlist for this fic, although I'm not so sure since for this one I don't have a big arsenal of songs as I do with the other fic...   
> Also, good news! I have the first BokuAka chapter ready! I'm not sure when I'll upload it, but hopefully soon <333 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, feel free to leave comments telling me what you loved or hated about this chapter, what you think of these two, how your day was, pretty much anything. I love hearing from my lovely readers <333 
> 
> Oh! and for those who want to know what song I meant in the notes at the beginning here's the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vYY0aRH46I I have to admit I used pretty much the entirety of the soundtrack, but well this song was the one I used the most. I didn't use this type of music for the last part though, obviously hahaha 
> 
> Anyways I'll shut up now! Lovely weekend for everyone, sending good vibes! ~
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	9. The Gala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As soon as they arrived, Iwaizumi was shocked by a number of camera flashes that were shooting their way. Unavoidably, he had to cover his eyes to get a proper view of where he was going, but Oikawa seemed more than used to it and walked forward holding Iwaizumi’s hand so he wouldn’t fall as they went up the path to the main entrance.
> 
> They finally reached the front door, and as they walked into the building, the loud noises from the crowd and the cameras were replaced by the chattering of people and the classical music. Iwaizumi looked around, his heart beating faster than usual, and his hand not wanting to leave Oikawa’s. He feared that if he let go he was going to drift off into a sea of unfamiliar faces and expectations. He didn’t like this place, he didn’t like being the center of attention, and he surely didn’t like the damn caviar the waiters were serving around.
> 
> “Come on, let’s go. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get out of here.” Oikawa whispered to Iwaizumi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! I'm so sorry for missing last week's chapter! u.u   
> I feel like I owe everyone a proper apology, and most importantly; a proper explanation. The reason I didn't post a chapter last week is because after dealing with some visa problems for many months, I lost my job last Friday. It's been kinda hard dealing with that, but I'm sure things will look up for me at some point eventually. Either way, as you can imagine, Saturday arrived and I didn't have anything written for this chapter plus I also didn't feel like writing.   
> This doesn't mean I won't post weekly chapters anymore, on the contrary. I am more than happy to continue with the weekly updates, and I don't want to change that for now.   
> I only wanted to explain why I messed up last week, making it my biggest delay since I started this series.   
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I'll stop with the long note haha 
> 
> Have a wonderful week! <333 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

A phone buzzing against the table shook Iwaizumi from his dreams. It was a Sunday, so why one earth would anyone call him? Maybe an emergency from the school? He slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He saw the clothes, some that belonged to him and others that didn’t. Just as the events of last night were slowly coming back to him, he felt a soft pressure on his chest and heard a soft moan.

His eyes looked down and all he could see was Oikawa’s beautiful and still perfect hair, his head resting on Iwaizumi’s chest, and his breathing soft but changing every now and then when he moaned in disagreement with the buzzing phone.

Iwaizumi smiled to himself and reached out for his phone. It was silent, so it wasn’t his the one vibrating endlessly on the table.

He carefully patted Oikawa’s head, trying to wake him up. “Oikawa, it’s your phone…” His voice was harsh and sleepy, and his throat felt dry.

Oikawa mumbled something as he moved aside, relieving Iwaizumi’s chest from the pressure and leaving a cold sensation after Oikawa's warm body had spent the night cuddling him. Iwaizumi rubbed his eyes and sighed, trying to wake up.

Oikawa sat up, his eyes still closed and his body moving slowly. His energetic self was gone, _maybe he wasn’t a morning person?_ Iwaizumi smiled at the thought, trying to contain the giggles of his visualization of a grumpy Oikawa.

Oikawa’s hand moved around the bed-side table, looking for his phone. His eyes still closed as if he was asleep. He finally reached his phone and answered it.

“Hm?” He mumbled sleepily. Seconds of silence, of what Iwaizumi took it to be the amount of time the person on the other line talked to Oikawa, until he replied, “No.” His voice was rustier than Iwaizumi’s and although he was rubbing his eyes, they were still closed. He looked like a little kid who had been woken up from his nap. “I forgot,” He mumbled again to the phone. “Okay.” He ended and hanged up.

Iwaizumi examined him, he looked at his perfect back and his hair falling perfectly everywhere. Unconsciously, his hand moved forward and caressed Oikawa’s skin, his fingers trailing up and down his back.

“Good morning,” He mumbled.

Oikawa turned to him, his eyes squinted and his face sleepy. Unable to do anything else, he lied back down and rested his face against Iwaizumi’s chest once more. “It’s too early…” He mumbled, snuggling against Iwaizumi’s body.

Iwaizumi chuckled and checked his phone, “it's 12 pm…” He continued to caress Oikawa’s back, and with his other hand, he held the arm Oikawa had put over Iwaizumi’s stomach.

“Too early…” Oikawa mumbled trying to fall asleep again.

“Is everything okay?” Iwaizumi asked, although he didn’t want to pry on Oikawa’s privacy, he also didn’t want to be the reason for him to be late or miss any business he had during the day.

Oikawa nodded, “Just being reminded of tonight’s deal.” He whispered.

“Tonight’s deal?” Iwaizumi frowned, “Our date?”

Oikawa opened his eyes and looked at him, “No… Other stuff I forgot I had to do.” He sighed and sat up, this time looking more awake. “I have to attend a gala tonight, for the play we just did and how it was a success and all…” He explained, indicating how boring he found it to be. “I would skip it, but there’s a producer that has been trying to get me to sign a movie deal with him, and we’ve finally reached an agreement for the contract, so he wants to sign the deal tonight at this stupid gala.” He groaned and shuffled his hair.

Iwaizumi nodded, it sounded exciting and Oikawa would probably be full of joy talking about it if it wasn’t for the fact that he had just woken up and he was clearly not a morning person. “Well, we’ll have our date next week then,” Iwaizumi replied smiling and sitting up to softly kiss Oikawa’s cheek.

Oikawa looked at him in surprise, “What? No! I can bring a date to this thing, having you there would make everything a lot more enjoyable…” He looked back into Iwaizumi’s eyes, “Unless you don’t want to.”

Iwaizumi gulped, he didn’t know if he wanted to, and, to be honest, he was scared of discovering Oikawa’s world and making it obvious he wasn’t part of it. “I… Are you sure? I mean I’m not important, and I’ve never even gone to a theater, I don’t know, I have nothing in common with those people…”

Oikawa chuckled and shook his head, “You have me in common, and it's okay, it’s not like they are going to test you and make sure you’re one of them.” He kissed Iwaizumi and then gave him the most horrible, and annoying look Iwaizumi could ever expect; the puppy eyes. “Please…”

Iwaizumi groaned and rolled his eyes, “Fine.”

 

\----

 

Iwaizumi stood in front of his bathroom mirror, his hands fidgeting with the tie he was trying so hard to put together around his neck, but hopelessly gave up with a loud sigh. Oikawa had asked him to wear a suit for the night, an attire he hated. He was not only not used to wearing such sophisticated clothes, but he also considered them uncomfortable and very hard to clean.

Iwaizumi felt grumpy, not because he didn’t want to go, but because he didn’t know what Oikawa’s friends were going to think about him. He wasn’t very good at social events and he felt that Oikawa’s world was going to be entirely different from what he was used to. He was going to stand out, and not in a good way.

His phone rang loudly from his room, and Iwaizumi rushed to pick it up, leaving the loose tie over his shoulder.

“Iwa-chan, are you ready?” Oikawa asked happily.

Iwaizumi cleared his throat, “I am, but I don’t know…” He cleared his throat once again in nervousness.

“Iwa-chan, it will be okay. We don’t have to stay for dinner if you don’t want to. I only have to show up for the reception, you know… The pictures and all.” Oikawa replied with a sweet voice.

Iwaizumi sighed, “I was going to say I don’t know how to tie my tie…” Although he was actually going to say that, he felt relieved at hearing they didn’t have to stay for the entire night. Oikawa was very aware of Iwaizumi’s worries, but Iwaizumi knew how much this meant to Oikawa and he wanted to make him as happy as he could.

Oikawa chuckled on the other side of the line, “It’s fine; I’ll tie it for you.”

Iwaizumi sighed and nodded, “Okay, I’ll come downstairs now.” He hanged up and left Sai in the kitchen as he always did.

As he walked downstairs and left his building, he found Oikawa standing next to a suited man, the car behind them was a small black limousine. Iwaizumi’s fears increased by the second and he wanted to run back into the building and tell Oikawa they would see each other next week.

Oikawa smiled at him widely and walked towards him, “Are you okay?” He said while reaching out for the tie.

Iwaizumi slowly nodded and glanced at the man who stood still by the car, “Who’s that?”

Oikawa laughed “Our driver.”

Iwaizumi gulped and looked back at Oikawa, “How fancy is this thing going to be??”

Oikawa sighed and moved away, “Fancy enough for me to make your tie into a bow-tie.” He laughed, “Come on, it will be fine. Really.” He walked back to the car and waited for the man to open the door for them.

Iwaizumi followed him and got inside the limousine. He looked around, unable to say a word. He had never been in such situation, and he knew he was going to feel terribly uncomfortable. But this was for Oikawa, so he was going to do his best… Or at least, try.

As soon as they arrived, Iwaizumi was shocked by a number of camera flashes that were shooting their way. Unavoidably, he had to cover his eyes to get a proper view of where he was going, but Oikawa seemed more than used to it and walked forward holding Iwaizumi’s hand so he wouldn’t fall as they went up the path to the main entrance.

They finally reached the front door, and as they walked into the building, the loud noises from the crowd and the cameras were replaced by the chattering of people and the classical music. Iwaizumi looked around, his heart beating faster than usual, and his hand not wanting to leave Oikawa’s. He feared that if he let go he was going to drift off into a sea of unfamiliar faces and expectations. He didn’t like this place, he didn’t like being the center of attention, and he surely didn’t like the damn caviar the waiters were serving around.

“Come on, let’s go. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get out of here.” Oikawa whispered to Iwaizumi.

They both walked deeper into the crowd of fancy men wearing impressive suits and tuxedos, and beautiful women who wore provocative and dashing dresses with glittering jewelry.

“So… You know everyone here?” Iwaizumi mumbled to Oikawa.

Oikawa shrugged, his smile never leaving his lips, “Not all of them, but most of them.”

Iwaizumi nodded slowly, as much as he tried to smile, he felt like he was faking it and up to something bad, “And all these people were part of the play you were in?”

Oikawa’s smile froze on his face, “Uhm… I might have softened up the situation a little…”

Iwaizumi looked at him with a hint of panic in his eyes, “How so?”

“Well…” Oikawa shrugged, “This is the celebration of the success of every big play of the year.”

Iwaizumi widened his eyes, “What?? And you call that a little??”

Oikawa tilted his head, “I’m sorry… I knew you would refuse if I told you it was going to be this big…”

Iwaizumi sighed and looked around, he really had no idea who any of this people were and if he recognized a face it belonged to someone famous and so well known, Iwaizumi wouldn’t dare to shake their hands even if asked to.

The room was loud, and men and women came and went. A lot stopped by and congratulated Oikawa on his latest success, some seemed friendlier than others when they saw Iwaizumi standing next to him, but the overall reaction was a confused glance they exchanged before smiling and pretending Iwaizumi was a perfect fit to the environment.

 “Well, well, who do we have here? Did this cute kindergarten teacher get lost on the way to school?” A familiar voice spoke from behind Iwaizumi while Oikawa was busy talking to other people.

Iwaizumi turned around and couldn’t help but sigh with relief as he saw the first familiar face in the entire evening. Kuroo was standing in front of him, wearing a perfectly looking tux that matched his naughty grin.

“Is it that obvious I don’t belong here?” Iwaizumi asked, chuckling and trying to hide the uncomfortable reality he felt inside of him.

Kuroo shrugged, “Nah, it’s okay. You’re just worse than most people in here at playing pretending.” He looked around smiling, “I see Oikawa is busy tonight.”

Iwaizumi glanced at Oikawa and then turned back to Kuroo, “Yeah, I don’t know anyone here, but it seems a lot of people know him.”

Kuroo laughed, “Well he is the guest of honor.”

“I don’t like being here either.” A soft voice interrupted them, only then Iwaizumi noticed someone was standing next to Kuroo. A short man with badly dyed blond hair. His eyes barely looked up from a gaming device he had in his hands, and Iwaizumi couldn’t help but feel the warmth of thinking about Kiyoko and how she stared down at her tablet the same way.

“Ah!” Kuroo smiled at Iwaizumi, “This is Kenma, my date for the night.” He announced with a big grin on his face.

Kenma looked up to Iwaizumi, “I’m only here because I was forced to, and I only came with him because he’s the only one tall and loud enough to make me invisible.” His voice quiet and his face not excited to be there.

Iwaizumi nodded, “Makes sense, I’m Iwaizumi. Oikawa’s date.” He extended his hand to Kenma.

Kenma took it, and shook it far more firmly than Iwaizumi could have imagined, “I know.”

“Kenma was the play’s editor.” Kuroo announced happily.

Kenma sighed loudly, “I’m not exactly the editor, but more like the play-writers’ agent.” He looked around, “I’m gonna sit at one of those tables.” He said before walking away.

Kuroo watched him walk away and then sniffed as if he was crying, “Isn’t he beautiful?”

Iwaizumi looked back at Kuroo, “Uhm… I guess?” He chuckled.

“This is the first time I’ve gotten him to accept to go out with me.” He sighed, “It’s just impossible to get his attention.”

Iwaizumi laughed, “Well he does seem like someone hard to get out of their own comfort zone…”

“Are you always making guesses?” A strong cutting voice spoke, interrupting their conversation.

Iwaizumi looked up, and his heart shrunk at the sight of Ushijima standing next to him.

“Uhm…” He mumbled, not knowing very well what to say.

“Ushijima! You are looking as beautiful as always!” Kuroo interrupted with a grin, “Where’s your precious pupil? Shirabu didn’t come along tonight?”

Ushijima turned to Kuroo, his frown deepening, “No. I heard you dragged Kenma along.”

Kuroo nodded eagerly, “Finally right??”

Ushijima clenched his jaw, “I told you to be careful. Don’t get too comfortable around him.”

Kuroo giggled loudly, “Whatever you say, boss. It will be alright.” He waved his hand in dismissal.

Ushijima ignored him and turned to Iwaizumi, “Same goes for you.” He said before walking away.

Iwaizumi watched him go, his heart racing as he started to look for Oikawa.

Kuroo gently grabbed his arm, “Don’t pay attention to him.” He spoke softly, moving Iwaizumi away from the crowd and towards the table where Kenma was sitting by himself.

Iwaizumi gulped, still looking around, but following Kuroo towards a less crowded place. “Does he have a problem with me?”

Kuroo looked at him in surprise as they walked, “What? Why?”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I don’t know… The day I went to the theater to see Oikawa he kinda… He kinda threatened me?”

Kuroo laughed as they arrived at the table. They didn’t sit but remained standing up, and just as a waiter walked by, Kuroo grabbed two glasses of Champaign and gave one to Iwaizumi.

“That wasn’t a threat. I mean, I’m sure Ushijima preferred to make it seem that way, but he’s also… A bit awkward around people.” He shrugged, “His scariness is great for business, there’s no one who won’t take him seriously or accept a deal from him. But socially… He’s… I don’t know.” Kuroo chuckled.

“Are you talking about Ushijima?” Kenma asked from behind them without looking up.

“Yeah.” Kuroo replied.

“Ushijima is horrible with tactful situations. He’s blunt and calculates everything, but he doesn’t want to offend anyone. If you tell him he makes you feel bad or anxious, or if you tell him you don’t like being threatened he will probably apologize and respectfully make his point. He has a lot of weight on his shoulders, plus taking care of Kuroo and Oikawa is a pretty tough job when these two babies only run around making a mess…” Kenma sighed, “To be honest, I’d say Ushijima is one of my best friends and my favorite co-worker, so I’m sure he had a reason to make you feel threatened.”

Iwaizumi thought about it for a few seconds, the person Kenma was describing was someone he never imagined Ushijima to be, and although it did make sense for him to be simply socially inept, that didn’t mean Iwaizumi had to be okay with him making threats. “Well… I can’t shake the idea that Ushijima threatened me because he has a thing for Oikawa?” He blurted out.

Kuroo and Kenma looked at Iwaizumi, their eyes mixed with surprise and an amusement Iwaizumi couldn’t understand. Seconds later, they both broke into laughter.

“I can assure you Ushijima doesn’t have a thing for Oikawa.” Kuroo said when his laughter calmed down. “He is over protective of him, but for different reasons.”

Iwaizumi could feel his cheeks burning, he felt like he had made a complete fool of himself and he hated feeling that way. “And those reasons are?”

Kuroo sighed and pointed at the chairs, “Let’s sit down, I’ll explain everything.”

As they both sat down, Iwaizumi’s mind ran wild trying to come up with multiple reasons for Ushijima to be so protective of his client. _If having a thing for Oikawa was so funny, then what else could it be??_

“Okay, has Oikawa explained to you who he is, or what family he comes from??” Kuroo asked after taking a big sip from his glass.

Iwaizumi shook his head, “I only know they have a lot of money, but he doesn’t seem too keen on talking about them.”

Kuroo sighed, “Oikawa’s father is the CEO of the Shiratorizawa Agency. They are pretty much the biggest agency company in the entirety of Japan, covering not only actors but also writers, musicians… You name it.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “And Ushijima works for Shiratorizawa?”

Kuroo shook his head, “Not only that. Ushijima was taken in by Oikawa’s family when he was a little boy, they practically grew up together and the family regards him as just another son.”

_So that’s why he’s so protective of Oikawa… They are practically brothers._

Kuroo cleared his throat, “I’ve been an actor for almost a decade already, and Oikawa has only started. Ushijima only takes in the best, like” He pointed at himself with a smug grin on his face, “myself, for example. But in Oikawa’s case, it was his father request for Ushijima to be his agent.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “I understand, but I still feel like I’m missing something.”

Kuroo nodded, “Yeah… Well, the reason Oikawa is barely starting his acting career is because he was forced to go to University and do some bullshit career to become an agent. He is the family’s heir, so they obviously wanted him to work in Shiratorizawa and become the next CEO.”

Iwaizumi tilted his head, “Except Oikawa is not an agent but an actor?”

Kuroo nodded, “Oikawa hated the job, he always wanted to be an actor, and after many, many fights with them, he was finally set free and allowed to be what he wanted to be. This is obviously something Ushijima never approved of, I mean, the man pretty much says the words _You should have come to Shiratorizawa_  to Oikawa whenever he has the chance.”

Iwaizumi sighed, “Okay, but I still don’t understand why Ushijima found it appropriate to threaten me.”

Kuroo laughed, “Well, I’m sorry if it’s not obvious enough, Iwaizumi, but Oikawa’s family is trying to make Ushijima the next in line to become CEO of Shiratorizawa. They might consider him one of the family, but people don’t, so he has to prove himself, and to do so he can’t afford any scandals with his clients.”

Iwaizumi frowned, “Scandals?” He really didn't like where this was going.

Kuroo’s face changed, almost as if he felt bad for Iwaizumi, “Iwaizumi… Oikawa is an actor… His fame is rising and faster than any other actor in the agency… He is also gay… And…”

Iwaizumi froze, “He is a gay actor… And if people found out…”

“It would be a scandal.” Kenma finished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy I finally got to write Kenma into the story!! *_* 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, what do you think will happen in the upcoming one? Will Iwaizumi ask Oikawa about this scandal issue? Does Oikawa have a plan in mind? Tell me what you think, how you feel, and how your week has been so far in the comments down bellow <333 
> 
> Oh, also, I will make a poll in the upcoming chapters, once I've started posting BokuAka's fic to ask which pair should be next for the series, I'm thinking of making the options be; KiyoYachi, KurooKenma, UshiRabu, and two more options that will be explored in the BokuAka fic, I just don't want to spoil anything. But so far what do you think?? 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	10. You're Mine...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They remained in silence for a bit, Oikawa continued to cook while Iwaizumi observed him. He wasn’t looking at what he was doing, but at how he was doing it. The way his body moved, how his eyes looked at the recipe book and the food with pure concentration, his delicate hands grabbed everything and how his fingers caressed the surface of everything he touched.
> 
> “What is this to you?” Iwaizumi blurted out before he could take back the words.
> 
> Oikawa looked to him in surprise and frowned, “You mean dinner?”
> 
> Iwaizumi shook his head slowly, “I mean…” He pointed at himself and then at Oikawa, “I mean this…”
> 
> Oikawa tilted his head, thinking, “Are you asking me if I think we are dating?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter!! So far it's one of my favorites and it's definitely one of the longest I've written so far (If not the longest). 
> 
> I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and oh my god I'm so happy my babies Iwaizumi and Oikawa are back in a match against Karasuno!! <3333 
> 
> Anyways, I'll leave here one of my favorite playlists to use when I write the glorious smut https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J-4W9BqV_M&list=PLVgiSb0ifhTk5UGv6WJbCbM1euv_k5mww&index=1 I use Classy Six a lot so I deffo recommend it :3 
> 
> Also, it's super late and I'm seeing double so if I missed any obvious mistake or typo, dont be afraid on pointing them out!! I'll appreciate it since my brain cant function anymore haha 
> 
> Enjoy~~ <333333 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

A hot coffee mug warmed Iwaizumi’s fingers, his back against the doorframe of his room, and his eyes watching an asleep Oikawa who breathed softly in his bed. Iwaizumi must have been watching him for at least an hour, but regardless of how creepy he felt, he couldn’t take his eyes off of him.

He examined Oikawa’s soft and thin lips, his beautiful nose, and his long and curly eyelashes that matched his perfect hair… _How on earth could someone be so beautiful?_ He melted Iwaizumi’s heart, he could be in a crowded room filled with handsome men and beautiful women that he would still feel entirely different if his eyes fell on Oikawa. It was like seeing what real beauty looked like, the warmth of someone’s heart, the passion of someone’s words, the caring of someone’s actions… Oikawa was all of those things.

He walked closer to the bed and crouched, his face right in front of Oikawa’s. He moved his hand carefully and buried his fingers in his soft chocolate hair, feeling the texture and unavoidably wondering what kind of shampoo he must use for it to be so neat and soft.

“Hmmm… Iwa-chan…” Oikawa mumbled in his sleep, hugging the pillow tightly with his arms and legs.

Iwaizumi smiled softly and moved forward, carefully resting his own lips against Oikawa’s forehead.

“Coffee…” He mumbled again, this time slowly opening his eyes and looking up to Iwaizumi, “I smell… Coffee…”

Iwaizumi chuckled “The smell of coffee woke you up?” This time, his hand moved less carefully through Oikawa’s hair, enjoying the soft touch more thoroughly.

Oikawa nodded before burying his face against the pillow and moaning sleepily.

“I’ll go make you some then,” Iwaizumi added before standing up and walking to the kitchen.

Minutes later he walked back into the room, wondering if Oikawa would be asleep again, but instead he found him sitting on his bed, rubbing his eyes with one hand and with the other carefully petting Sai. Iwaizumi approached him and sat next to him, handing him his mug. Oikawa took it slowly, his eyes squinting because of the outside light.

“Thank you,” He mumbled sleepily.

Iwaizumi drank from his coffee as well, but unable to stop himself from giving in to temptation, he softly kissed Oikawa’s shoulder and neck.

“Iwa-chan…” He groaned, “It’s too early…”

Iwaizumi chuckled, “I know, and I have to go to work.” He kissed his shoulder once more, “But I thought you would be the type to enjoy morning sex.”

Oikawa shook his head, his fluffy hair drifting side to side as he did so, “No… I’m a morning sleep.”

Iwaizumi laughed, he loved grumpy Oikawa. “Well, it’s okay by me.”

Oikawa continued to drink from his coffee, “What time is it?” He mumbled, his voice echoing through the mug.

Iwaizumi glanced at his watch, “About 6:30 am.”

Oikawa turned to him with a frown, “Why do you wake up so early? Schools never open before 8 am.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “But I like to get to work early and I have to do some stuff as well.”

Oikawa hesitated, “I have work at 9…” He pouted, “I don’t want to go…”

Iwaizumi chuckled, “I think Normal Oikawa wants to go, but Morning Oikawa doesn’t want to go.” He carefully moved Oikawa’s hair out of his eyes. “You signed the deal for that movie last night, and you were very excited, don’t you start working on that today?”

Oikawa nodded but still pouted, “But for now it’s just boring paperwork…”

“Well but you’ll have to do it, or else Ushijima will chase you down with that scary face of his.” Iwaizumi chuckled.

Oikawa hesitated but then nodded, “I know…” He sighed and took a big sip from his coffee. “I’ll go wash my face…” He stood up and handed Iwaizumi the empty mug before walking to the bathroom, followed by a playful Sai.

Iwaizumi sighed with a smile and stood up from the bed as well, walking to the kitchen. He was dressed and ready to work, but he chose to wash the dishes while he waited for Oikawa to be ready as well.

Soon enough, a far more awake Oikawa emerged from the bedroom, “Iwa-chan!!” He said happily while looking for him.

“Are you ready? We should get going.” Iwaizumi said from the kitchen with a soft smile.

Oikawa looked back at him and hesitated, almost as if only now he saw something that made him take a step back.

“Everything okay?” Iwaizumi frowned.

Oikawa sighed in relief, “Yes, it’s just that you were smiling and that was scary.” He said in a playful manner, making Iwaizumi throw the kitchen towel at him in annoyance.

“Stupid Trashykawa, I won’t smile anymore,” He growled while grabbing his bag for work.

Oikawa rushed to him with a goofy smile and his hands put together in a plea, “I’m sorry, Iwa-chan!! I was kidding, you looked very cute!!”

Iwaizumi ignored him, opening the front door to his apartment, ready to leave.

“Waaait!!” Oikawa rushed to grab Sai, “Let me grab his things too!”

Iwaizumi turned to him confused, “What for?”

Oikawa hesitated, “Well, I can take him home now…”

Iwaizumi nodded, “Yeah but…” He shrugged, “You can leave his things here if you need me to take care of him again.”

Oikawa stared at him for a few seconds before blushing, making Iwaizumi look away with a frown again. He grabbed the dog and after putting him inside his coat, he walked out of the apartment with Iwaizumi.

They left the building and turned to each other, “I guess I’ll go home to drop Sai off, and then I’ll go to work.” Oikawa said to Iwaizumi while looking at his watch.

Iwaizumi nodded, “I’ll… See you eventually then.” He said in an awkward manner.

Oikawa turned to him and tilted his head, “Eventually?”

He shrugged, “I mean, I…”

Oikawa smiled, “Iwa-chan, are you dumping me?”

Iwaizumi looked at him, his eyes drowning in sudden panic, “What?? No! I mean-”

His voice was interrupted by Oikawa’s loud laughter, “I’m kidding; I know what you meant.” He walked closer to Iwaizumi, “Can I text you later in the day?” He whispered, his body so close to Iwaizumi’s Sai was trying to reach out to lick his face.

Iwaizumi hesitated but then nodded, “Of course you can.” He mumbled.

Oikawa smiled and carefully leaned down to kiss Iwaizumi on the lips. Iwaizumi kissed him back, but immediately looked around to see if anyone had seen them.

“What?” Oikawa asked confused while looking around, “Are you worried people will see us??”

“Yeah, I mean…” He cleared his throat, “I… I’ll see you later then.” He turned around and walked away, leaving Oikawa in front of his apartment building with a frown and probably a lot of questions.

He walked forward without looking back, in his mind cursing in any way and language he knew. Iwaizumi had never considered himself a coward, except for lately. Lately, he had been acting like the biggest coward history had ever seen.

After talking with Kuroo and Kenma about the ‘scandal’ problem and how it would endanger, not only Ushijima’s career but also Oikawa’s, he hadn’t had the guts to bring up the topic to Oikawa himself. He had a lot of questions, did that meant their thing was only temporally? Would he have to sneak around? Were they friends? What was Oikawa thinking if he knew the risks?? Was he just doing this to piss Ushijima off? etc. But he couldn't bring himself to ask these to Oikawa.

He shook his head and began to run to work, almost as if the idea of physically running helped him picture himself running away from his thoughts. He didn’t want to think about any scandal, he didn’t want to think of the possibility of Ushijima coming after him, socially awkward or not, with a knife and thirsty for blood, he didn’t want to cost two people their careers, not when his own was already so important for him. He knew the feeling of fighting so hard to get somewhere, and he would hate to see it all crumble down because some jackass didn’t know when to call it quits… He couldn't do that to them.

He stopped right at the front door of the academy, almost walking into the glassed door. He opened the door and stepped in, barely making it in time to greet the students.

 

\-----

 

Iwaizumi sat with Daichi and Suga in the dining room while Bokuto helped the students eagerly eat their lunch.

“So… You’re saying you have to be careful in case you guys get caught?” Daichi leaned back crossing his arms, “Caught by whom? The paparazzi?? Is he even that big of an actor??”

Iwaizumi tilted his head, “He is becoming one; he just signed a deal for a major film and…” He sighed with desperation and covered his face with his hands, “I don’t know! I don’t even know what to think, let alone what he’s thinking!”

Suga patted him on the back gently, “It’s okay, Iwaizumi, he probably knows the consequences but doesn’t care.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “That’s what doesn’t make sense! He knows the consequences, and he’s fought so hard for this chance to start his career but he’s still risking it?? I don’t think so…”

Daichi frowned, “So what are you trying to say?”

“I think…” Iwaizumi sighed, “I think this is just a temporal thing for him, like a one night stand… But longer.”

Daichi rose an eyebrow, “…And it isn’t for you?”

Iwaizumi bit his lip, “I…” He wanted to say y _es, this is just temporal, I don’t care what he’s thinking or what he does, he means nothing to me._ But all he could think of was his perfect lips, his chocolate hair falling everywhere on his face while he peacefully slept in his bed… He wanted to go back to that morning gaze.

“I think no matter how much we try to talk and consider all the possibilities, we will never know what the situation really is like for Oikawa. So the best and the only option you have is to talk about it with him.” Suga quickly added almost as if he knew how much Iwaizumi was internally struggling with Daichi’s question.

The three men remained silent for a while until Daichi spoke again with enough hesitation to make him open his mouth and then close it a few times without saying a word, “…Why haven’t you talked to him about this yet?”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I guess I just don’t know how to…” That was a lie, what he didn’t know was how he would take Oikawa’s answer. Strange thing for him to think, mainly because he didn’t even know what those thoughts meant. All in all, he was a ball of confusion.

They continued talking for a while until lunch was over and they had to go back to their classes. Although Iwaizumi was usually able to focus on his lessons and forget about his personal issues, this time, the thought of having this conversation with Oikawa kept distracting him, almost making him get lost in thought once or twice during class.

\-----

>> Iwa-chan!! >.<

Oikawa texted Iwaizumi as he walked home, the cold from the winter weather freezing his bones and making Iwaizumi wrap his face deeply into his scar. He hated having to take off his gloves to be able to press around his smartphone, but when it came to Oikawa’s texts he didn’t mind.

>>What?

Iwaizumi replied. He knew what Oikawa’s reply would be, something along the lines of _‘iwa-chan you’re so rude!’_

>>Ahhh!! Iwa-chan, you’re so rude!! QwQ.

Iwaizumi smiled to himself while typing.

>>How was your day?

He stared at his phone while taking slow steps through the streets, he had an easy time avoiding people and he knew the route home without having to look where he was going.

>> It was good! Yours?? Also! Christmas is in two weeks :3

Iwaizumi sighed, letting his breath turn into soft smoke as it froze, reminding him of his days as a smoker.

>> Good. I know, why?

He continued to look at the phone, but instead of simply waiting for Oikawa’s reply, he read and re-read his previous text about a thousand times. ‘Christmas is in two weeks :3’. Was he pointing that out because he was happy? Was he asking him out for the date? Was he simply informing him?... So many questions, and yet obviously enough he would never be able to get the answer by reading the same text over and over. It’s not like Oikawa was now writing cryptic messages for Iwaizumi to figure out.

>>What do you mean why?? Because I want to spend it with you!

Iwaizumi could feel his cheeks getting pinker. He frowned and looked away in embarrassment although he knew Oikawa wasn’t in front of him to see him. He wished. He took a bit to reply, he didn’t know what to say, _my place? Your place? Out for dinner?_ He juggled in his head with the many options, examining one after the other, trying to figure out which one would sound less desperate and more agreeable, yet not softer but… He growled, what was he doing?! Since when did he take so long and so much thinking to reply a simple text?!

>>Okay.

 _Yes, that was good. Or was it??_ Maybe Oikawa thought he didn’t want to spend Christmas with him, maybe he thought he was being rude, or maybe he had sounded like he was waiting to be asked.

>>Yess!!!! My place??

Iwaizumi sighed, of course, Oikawa didn’t think too much about his texts. Maybe he didn’t even care about his responses, maybe he just wanted some company for the day.

>>Okay.

They continued talking for a long while, Iwaizumi told him a brief summary of his day (obviously not mentioning the talk he had with Suga and Daichi), Oikawa told Iwaizumi everything about his day, and if that was the summary he had managed to work out, then Iwaizumi had to help him out improving his summarizing skills because Oikawa had sent him a full page with details and freak outs of his new movie adventures.

Apparently Oikawa’s day had not only been about signing boring paperwork, but also doing some press release to announce his role in the movie. He would be on every cover of every magazine and every billboard of Tokyo within a week. And that was only the beginning.

Although Iwaizumi wasn’t the one going through all these things, he couldn’t help but feel excited and happy all together. He felt those things for Oikawa, and he couldn’t help but smile while reading his texts and seeing how excited he was. But most importantly, he loved how Oikawa was telling him all those things and not anyone else.

 

\----

 

Iwaizumi stood at the front doors of Oikawa’s apartment building. As he expected, it was big and luxurious, leaving Iwaizumi’s to be a dumpster. He walked towards the crystal gates hoping to find the interphone to call up to Oikawa’s apartment, but instead a tall man with a heavy coat looked down at him with a frown.

“Yes?” His voice was coarse and scary, but his nametag on the side of his chest made it clear he was the man in charge of making intruders go away and letting people in.

Iwaizumi cleared his throat shyly, “I came to see… Oikawa Tōru?”

The man hesitated but soon his expression switched to a surprised one. He checked the books in his office and then looked back at him, “Iwaizumi Hajime?”

Iwaizumi nodded. The man opened the doors letting him in, “Top floor, it’s the only door you’ll find.” He said in a more gentle tone. Iwaizumi nodded one more time and climbed on the elevator, his heart pounding in his chest and his mind feeling out of place almost as much as it did back in the gala.

After going up for a while, he finally reached the top floor. The shiny elevator opened its gates, revealing a thick and even shinier front door of an apartment.

“What is this? The gates of heaven?” He mumbled grumpily as he looked around. He stepped forward and rang the doorbell.

“Iwa-chan!!” Oikawa yelled from the other side before even opening the door.

Iwaizumi heard steps hurrying towards him and soon, he stood in front of the most beautiful man… Wearing a pink apron with Hello Kitty faces plastered everywhere.

“So… First Sailor Moon and now Hello Kitty?” Iwaizumi asked with amusement.

Oikawa closed his eyes and tried to cover the apron with his hands, “Aaah!! Just ignore it! I borrowed it from my sister!”

Iwaizumi tilted his head with a smile, “Yeah… Sure… You gotta stop blaming your sister.”

Oikawa sighed and looked down giving up on the argument, “Come on in, then.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “Thank you.” He hesitated, but he took a step inside the apartment, making all his fears come true. He had just stepped into rich-land, making himself feel like the worst commoner Oikawa could be spending time with. The apartment was enormous, the living-room itself could be the size of Iwaizumi’s entire apartment, the furniture and the electronic devices all around the place looked more expensive than all of Iwaizumi’s belongings put together. “How… How big is this place?!” He found himself foolishly asking while petting Sai who seemed to be playing with one of his toys on the couch.

Oikawa giggled while helping him out of his coat, “It’s not that big, at least, my sister lives in a much bigger apartment, and my parents live in a house.” He sighed while hanging Iwaizumi’s coat on the hanger, “But it is big for just one person.” He walked towards the kitchen.

“How the hell did you just manage to not sound pretentious while saying something so pretentious??” Iwaizumi asked between his teeth while following him. “This place must have like 5 rooms!”

“Three, actually, but I use one of them as a gym.” Oikawa replied nonchalantly.

Iwaizumi groaned, but the air escaped his lungs as he stepped into the kitchen. He wasn’t a big cook, but all those times he had tried to cook something in his tiny kitchen he had wished for a magical and comfortable place to cook in… And that place seemed to be Oikawa’s kitchen. “I hate you so much right now…”

Oikawa laughed while grabbing the pans where the food was cooking, “I don’t think you realize how superficial you sound right now.”

Iwaizumi frowned, “How so?”

Oikawa glanced at him with a grin, “One could say you’re only seeing me because of my fame and money.”

Iwaizumi tilted his head, “That’s stupid, not even your money or fame can make up for how annoying you are.”

Oikawa flinched, “Mean, Iwa-chan! That’s mean!” He pouted and went back to cooking.

Iwaizumi sighed and walked towards him, looking around the kitchen, “Still… I’ve never been in a place this impressive...”

Oikawa looked at him, “Well... It really isn’t that impressive.” He shrugged.

Iwaizumi continued to look around, “For someone like me it is. I wonder how it feels for you to come to my place…” He said thinking out loud. He turned to Oikawa and saw a strange expression in his eyes.

Oikawa’s smile was gone, and his eyes were looking back at Iwaizumi with a frown.

“What?...” Iwaizumi asked hesitantly.

Oikawa remained silent for a few seconds, but then he blinked a few times and shook his head, looking back at the food. “I’m making dinner, I don’t know what people usually have for Christmas but all the google searches said Turkey, so that’s what I’m making.” He shrugged.

Iwaizumi walked towards him and hugged him from behind, putting his chin over Oikawa’s shoulder and looking down at the food, “You know you didn’t have to go through all this trouble right? We could have ordered something if not.”

Oikawa giggled, “I know, but I’ve never celebrated Christmas, so I wanted to do something special.”

Iwaizumi looked at him surprised, “You’ve never celebrated Christmas??”

Oikawa tilted his head, “No… Why?”

“I… I guess since you’ve dated people I figured you had done this before.” Iwaizumi mumbled, realizing how stupid that thought was.

Oikawa smiled, “No, I haven’t. Have you?”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “Obviously not.” He walked around the kitchen island and stood on the other side, facing Oikawa.

They remained in silence for a bit, Oikawa continued to cook while Iwaizumi observed him. He wasn’t looking at what he was doing, but at how he was doing it. The way his body moved, how his eyes looked at the recipe book and the food with pure concentration, his delicate hands grabbed everything and how his fingers caressed the surface of everything he touched.

“What is this to you?” Iwaizumi blurted out before he could take back the words.

Oikawa looked to him in surprise and frowned, “You mean dinner?”

Iwaizumi shook his head slowly, “I mean…” He pointed at himself and then at Oikawa, “I mean this…”

Oikawa tilted his head, thinking, “Are you asking me if I think we are dating?”

Iwaizumi looked at him in panic, “No! I mean… What is this to you? Are we just temporarily spending time together or…?”

Oikawa examined Iwaizumi’s expression, he relaxed his shoulders and left the wooden spoon on top of the pan, crossing his arms. “Where is this coming from?”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I’ve just… Been thinking…” He looked around nervously.

“About?” Oikawa asked with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Iwaizumi avoided his eyes, “I don’t know… It’s stupid, just forget it.” He rushed out of the kitchen towards the dining room, leaving Oikawa with the food.

He walked around the room, looking at every piece of decoration he could find just to distract his mind. He reached a shelf where a few portraits were framed. In one of the pictures he could see a young Oikawa, his school uniform made him look extremely adorable and his hair and appearance seemed to have remained as perfect as they were back then. He carefully grabbed it and examined it closer. Only then he saw Ushijima standing next to Oikawa, they wore the same uniform, and although Oikawa looked cheerful and relaxed, Ushijima’s face was tense; he was wearing big glasses and in his hand he had some sort of text-book that he seemed to be studying thoroughly.

“Dinner’s ready!” Oikawa sang happily from the kitchen, he peeked through the door, “Do you wanna have it in the dining room? Or in the living room while watching TV?”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I don’t really mind.”

Oikawa smiled, “Living-room it is!” He walked back to the kitchen and brought out two plates. He carefully carried them to the living room, and Iwaizumi followed him. “I hope you like sci-fi movies! I’m afraid it’s the only type I have.” He giggled

“An actor with only one genre of movies?” Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, trying to avoid laughing.

They sat down and began to have dinner while they watched the movie Oikawa had picked. Although they were mostly quiet, Iwaizumi had never felt so happy to be accompanied by someone during Christmas Eve. Normally Christmas would feel like any other day, but somehow he felt excited to be doing something different, and even happier when he thought about it being with Oikawa.

After they finished with dinner, they both sat back on the couch, Oikawa leaning his back towards Iwaizumi, who without complaining or saying a word put his arm over Oikawa’s shoulders and across his chest, hugging him and caressing his hair with his other hand.

“It’s not temporal.” Oikawa said, surprising Iwaizumi.

“What?” Iwaizumi asked confused.

“You ask if this is temporarily for me.” He said without looking back at him, “It’s not. Unless you want it to be.”

Iwaizumi hesitated, his body frozen, including his hand that remained still between Oikawa’s hair, “I… Are you sure?”

Oikawa sat up and turned to him with a frown, “Okay, you have to tell me, what is going on with you?”

Iwaizumi didn’t look at him, instead, his eyes looked back at the TV. He shrugged, “Nothing, really…”

Oikawa’s eyes were covered in fear, “Did something happen?” His voice was low and slightly shaky.

Iwaizumi remained silent, he didn’t know what to say or where to begin.

Oikawa sighed, “It’s fine if you want to end things-”

“That’s not it.” Iwaizumi interrupted him, “It’s just…” He bit his lip, “Kuroo told me…”

Oikawa tilted his head, “Told you what?”

“Why Ushijima threatened me.” Iwaizumi said without daring to look up at him.

“Ushijima threatened you??” Oikawa asked in surprise.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “He told me I better not be trouble, and when I asked Kuroo why he threatened me… He…” For some reason, he couldn’t finish the sentence.

“He told you about Ushijima not wanting people to find out I’m seeing a man?” Oikawa finished for him.

Iwaizumi nodded slowly.

“So when you asked; what is this to you?… You meant to ask: why are you doing this when you know the consequences.” He added.

Iwaizumi nodded again.

“Iwaizumi, look at me.” Oikawa spoke firmly. Iwaizumi’s eyes slowly moved up to meet Oikawa’s. His glance was serious, and there was no trace of the goofy and flirtatious actor he had met back in the middle of Tokyo after being bathed in coffee. “I’ve spent my entire life fighting to become an actor, my career obviously means a lot to me, so don’t call me an idiot by thinking I don’t know what I’m doing or that I haven’t thought of the consequences.”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “I never called you an idiot…”

Oikawa shrugged, “You did when you thought I got into this without knowing what could happen. I know what’s at stake here, and I know if I get caught there would be a scandal… But I won’t deny myself a personal life just because people like to gossip.” He leaned closer to Iwaizumi and carefully put his delicate hands against his cheeks, “You asked to go slow, to get to know each other and I accepted, this is not temporally, this is me getting to know you and letting you get to know me. I don’t care what Ushijima thinks, or the possibilities of a scandal happening. I’m doing this because I want to.”

Iwaizumi looked into Oikawa’s eyes, he felt both surprised and nervous, and although his mind was working a million thoughts per second he couldn’t come up with a decent thing to say. Instead, he decided to lean forward and kiss Oikawa. He had been messing his brain for days, asking himself all kinds of questions regarding what Oikawa was thinking and what all of this meant, but what they had had nothing to do with Oikawa’s job or anything Ushijima could say… They were each other’s private life, and every second they spent together didn’t matter to anyone else.

Oikawa kissed him back, his hands moving from Iwaizumi’s cheeks up to his hair, caressing it softly. Iwaizumi moved his hands to Oikawa’s hips, his fingers leaving a slight pressure on his skin. Their lips tangled along with their tongues. They were in complete silence, but it felt like they were communicating, having a passionate conversation where they expressed how much they had needed this for the past days.

Iwaizumi could feel his body burning, he had been craving for Oikawa’s lips for a long time, and his worries about losing him had worsened the need for his touch. Unable to hold himself back, he moved his head and began to kiss Oikawa’s neck, burying his sharp teeth gently against the skin.

“Iwa-chan…” Oikawa moaned softly while his fingers slightly pulled Iwaizumi’s hair.

Iwaizumi growled against Oikawa’s neck, his hands moving down from his hip to his ass, and pulling him closer. “Oikawa…” He whispered before biting his neck once more.

“Iwa-chan… You’re… I won’t…” Oikawa moaned, barely able to make sense.

Iwaizumi pulled him up with his hands and moved him towards his lap. Oikawa followed his movements obediently, getting on top of Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi’s hands moved up, and slid inside Oikawa’s shirt, his cold fingers running up and down his spine, caressing his skin and making him shiver.

“Iwa-” Oikawa began but Iwaizumi interrupted him.

“I know… I can feel how hard you are…” His voice was coarse and low, his eyes stared into Oikawa’s with a deep need. “I’m done taking it slow.” Without saying any other word, he kissed Oikawa while moving him closer with his hands to make him feel how hard he was as well.

Without hesitation, Iwaizumi moved his hands up, taking Oikawa’s shirt off. With his bare chest in front of him, he began to slowly kiss every trace of his skin, leaving small bite-marks here and there every once in a while.  Oikawa’s fingers continued to run through Iwaizumi’s hair while he moved his head back and moaned his usual ‘Iwa-chan…’

Iwaizumi reached for one of Oikawa’s nipples and began to toy with it. His tongue circling the sensitive area, and his teeth gently applying pressure with occasional bites. Oikawa moaned at the feeling of every bite, and his fingers gently pulled Iwaizumi’s hair, each time in a stronger manner.

“Iwa-chan… I don’t… I don’t want to do it in the living room.” He finally managed to say while Iwaizumi continued to toy with his nipples.

Iwaizumi looked up to him, “Tell me where your bedroom is, then.”

Oikawa trembled at the sight of Iwaizumi’s eyes, he was so turned on, even his voice sounded like burning notes of music. “The end of the hallway…”

Iwaizumi smirked and picked him up in his arms, just like he had done in his apartment when he took him to his own room. Oikawa obeyed once more and tangled his legs around Iwaizumi’s hip while they continued to kiss.

Clumsily yet skillfully enough, Iwaizumi managed to open the door to Oikawa’s room, it was neat and perfectly clean, his bed was huge, probably twice the size of Iwaizumi's. Gently, he put Oikawa against the bed, leaving his hip right on the edge of it. He got down to his knees between Oikawa’s legs and unbuckled Oikawa’s pants, pulling them down and taking them off along with his underwear, leaving him entirely naked.

Iwaizumi leaned forward and softly pressed his lips against Oikawa’s knee, making him tremble. He moved forward, leaving a trail of kisses from his knee up to his thigh and towards his groin. Oikawa’s hips moved, they shook with every kiss, they expressed a desperation that could only be ended by Iwaizumi’s actions. The muscles of his stomach tightened as he looked down and met Iwaizumi’s eyes, but just as Iwaizumi ran his tongue through the side of Oikawa’s groin, he let his head fall back on the bed while a loud moan escaped his lips.

Iwaizumi continued to lick Oikawa, his tongue moving from his groin towards his length. He slowly licked the side of it while his hand caressed it from the other side.

“Iwa-chan… I want to do it…” Oikawa moaned desperately.

Iwaizumi chuckled, “I know… But not yet.” He licked Oikawa’s cock once more.

Oikawa replied with a moan, and his fingers gripped tightly against the sheets. Iwaizumi’s tongue began to circle the tip of his length, his hand stroking it gently and slowly.

“Where’s the lube?” Iwaizumi asked while his hand continued to massage Oikawa’s length.

Oikawa trembled and pointed at his bed-side table, making Iwaizumi let go of him and walk towards it. He opened the drawer and pulled out the bottle of lube and some condoms. He went back to his original position and poured some of the cold lube on his fingers.

While he continued to lick and stroke Oikawa’s cock, he moved his other hand against his behind and began to circle his hole to spread the liquid. Oikawa’s body shook, and Iwaizumi watched his expression with a grin before wrapping his lips around the tip of his cock, slowly moving them down.

“Ahh… Iwa…” Oikawa moaned, moving his hand to Iwaizumi’s head.

Iwaizumi began to move his head up and down, his lips wrapped around Oikawa’s cock. The more he moved the deeper he went, and the more he sucked, sometimes using a bit of teeth against Oikawa’s skin.

“Iwaizumi…” Oikawa moaned louder, saying his entire name for the first time.

Iwaizumi moaned as well, his voice muffled and vibrating against Oikawa’s length. His fingers stopped circling around Oikawa’s behind and now they were toying against it, applying a gentle pressure and making Oikawa think they would go in, but instead Iwaizumi would move them back, leaving Oikawa craving for them each time more desperately.

“Iwaizumi… Please, I want to do it…” He begged, his voice breaking and his breathing fastening.

Iwaizumi pulled out Oikawa’s length from his mouth and looked at him, “And I said not yet. I want to watch the King beg.”

Oikawa shuddered at these words and bit his lips to avoid moaning. Iwaizumi smirked at the sole thought of making him moan by just saying a few words, and deciding to give Oikawa a small reward. 

He slid the tip of his fingers inside him, taking him by slight surprise and making his torso form a small arch of pleasure. Iwaizumi pulled his finger out, making him rest his back against the bed once more. He repeated this movement, making Oikawa move like a puppet and moan louder each time, the sound of his voice growing angrier by the way Iwaizumi was toying with him.

“Plea-” Oikawa tried to say, starting to complain and beg again, but Iwaizumi silenced him by sliding his finger much deeper, yet still carefully. Iwaizumi bit Oikawa’s thigh while his finger remained inside him, this time only moving it back and forth without entirely pulling out.

Oikawa continued to moan, and his length couldn’t get any harder, with pre-cum dripping down to his stomach. Iwaizumi moved his free hand up to Oikawa’s nipple and began toying with it, pulling it and twisting it, carefully enough to not hurt him, but roughly enough as well to make the pain pleasurable.

Oikawa’s hand was still on Iwaizumi’s head, his fingers began to grip on his hair; pulling it softly each time Iwaizumi moved his finger deeper inside of him. He moved one more finger closer to his hole, having it slid right in with no problem.

“I guess you really want my fingers inside of you.” Iwaizumi chuckled, his own hardness becoming too much for his pants.

“No…” Oikawa spoke, his voice now shaking, “I want you… Inside of me…”

Iwaizumi smirked, “Soon, but for now, I’m not done toying with you.”

Oikawa moaned, pre-cum dripping down in larger quantities. Iwaizumi used this chance to slide in a third finger. He wanted to devour Oikawa, to make him his and leave an unforgettable mark in his heart. No matter what happened between them, Iwaizumi wanted to remain as the man who owned him, the man that made him beg and arch his back by the sole sound of a few words. To make him melt by a simple touch before he could melt as well between his legs.

Unable to handle the pain from his throbbing cock, Iwaizumi unbuckled his own pants and took them off, his other hand still in and out of Oikawa’s behind.

Oikawa’s eyes were closed, and although he was biting his lower lip, his moans were still loud and clear. After a while, he finally couldn’t take it anymore.

“Iwaizumi I’m… I’m going to…” Before he could finish the sentence, the dripping pre-cum turned into a heavy cascade of cum, his length twitching, and the liquid landing on his stomach and chest. His moans were louder, but they quieted down as the seconds passed, and his voice shook with pleasure, leaving him breathless and his chest tensed from the orgasm.

Iwaizumi pulled his fingers out and moved up, running his fingers through every trail of cum Oikawa had left on his own chest. Oikawa looked up at him, his eyes melted with the ecstasy he had just experienced, but at seeing Iwaizumi take his wet fingers into his own mouth, his head fell back on the bed and moaned again, almost as if Iwaizumi’s fingers hadn’t left his insides.

“Iwa-chan… I beg you…” He said with a breathless voice, his eyes looking again into Iwaizumi’s. “I’m begging you… Please, I’m yours…”

Iwaizumi looked down at him and smirked, he took off his shirt and underwear while Oikawa moved higher up the bed and turned around. Iwaizumi grabbed the condom, but at seeing Oikawa turn around he moved towards him and grabbed him by his feet, turning him once more against his back.

“I want to see your face.” Iwaizumi’s voice was hungry and his eyes were filled with wild need.

Oikawa’s cheeks turned red before he hesitantly grabbed the condom from Iwaizumi’s hand and opened it with his teeth, carefully he put it on Iwaizumi’s length, and although he was already exaggeratedly hard, he massaged it for a while, making Iwaizumi push his head back and sigh in pleasure.

“I want to see your face too.” Oikawa mumbled while he kissed Iwaizumi’s hip bone.

Iwaizumi looked down at him, this time, the wildness in his eyes almost getting out of control. He grabbed Oikawa’s legs and pulled them up, getting between them and putting his length against the hole where his fingers had previously been in.

Oikawa’s cock twitched, hardening once more at the sole feeling of Iwaizumi’s against him.

“Iwa-chan…” He whispered, his hands moving up to Iwaizumi’s neck, “Make me yours…”

Iwaizumi smirked before gently moving inside Oikawa, making him moan wildly and arch his back once more, “You’re already mine.” Iwaizumi replied while sliding his length, each time deeper and deeper.

Oikawa’s body weakened at the words and the feeling of Iwaizumi’s hard cock inside him, his legs gave in, leaving Iwaizumi to handle their weight on his own. The more Oikawa moaned, the harder Iwaizumi got, and the more pleasurable it was for Oikawa. It was the perfect vicious cycle.

Iwaizumi slowly began to move his hips, thrusting in and out gently. Oikawa’s body accompanied the thrusts, moving slightly up and down the bed. His hands still on Iwaizumi’s neck, pulling him closer to meet his lips. Iwaizumi obeyed for the first time in the night, moving forward and kissing him back, biting Oikawa’s lower lip as he moved his hips faster and harder.

“Iwaizumi…” Oikawa moaned against Iwaizumi’s lips, his voice muffled by their kiss.

“Oikawa…” Iwaizumi said back to him, his voice sounding the same way.

Oikawa’s hands moved down to Iwaizumi’s shoulder, he buried his sharp nails against his skin, trailing them down and scratching a path down his back. Iwaizumi moaned loudly for the first time, his thrusting fastening. He moved his lips down to Oikawa’s neck and bit it as hardly as Oikawa’s nails dug into his back.

“Iwaizumi…” Oikawa moaned again, this time, his voice weaker and softer. “I’m yours…”

“You’re mine…” Iwaizumi replied almost as if he was reassuring him of such thing. He moved his right hand down Oikawa’s leg, his palm trailing down towards his hip. “You’re mine…” He repeated, “You’ll always be mine…”

Oikawa’s nails buried deeper than before in Iwaizumi’s skin, and without giving any warning, he came, making Iwaizumi melt between his legs, his hips continuing to thrust but in a more uneven manner as his body succumbed to the uncontrollable pleasure of an orgasm.

They both lied immobile for a few seconds. Iwaizumi’s forehead against Oikawa’s chest, and his cock still inside of him. They worked on catching up their breaths while the remaining bits of the ecstasy left their bodies.

Once Oikawa had regained his energy, he moved his hand up to Iwaizumi’s head, caressing his hair, “Are you okay?” He asked, his breathing still slightly uneven.

Iwaizumi nodded, but he didn’t look up. He wasn’t okay. He had just realized he had fallen in love with Oikawa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaah I just loved writing this chapter!!! also, after giving it some deep thought, there's a bigger possibility that I will end up writing a switching sex scene, considering I want to explore that side of IwaOi turning into Oiiwa even if it's only temporarily. 
> 
> anyways! Please tell me what you loved, what you hated, and what you didnt even care about this chapter because I just love hearing from you guys <3333 also pleaaaesee I mean it! even if i clearly dont know how to spell right now, I genuinely love it when you guys talk to me on tumblr so dont be afraid to hit me up, i'm usually there :3 
> 
> Have a great weekend and I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!! <3333
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	11. Trophies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa chuckled and carefully kissed him, “Good morning.”
> 
> Iwaizumi kissed him back, this time moving his hands down to Oikawa’s ass, “Yeah, good morning…” He mumbled while squeezing his hands.
> 
> Oikawa giggled “Shall we take a shower?” He kissed him again, this time softly and more slowly.
> 
> Iwaizumi nodded while enjoying the taste of Oikawa’s lips… They were the best thing he had ever tasted and knew he was doomed to this new addiction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I changed the tags! Most of you I'm sure will be happy about this chapter! Others might not so I'm sorry? 
> 
> Anyways, for the baseball fans, I couldn't help but add some reference to today's game between the dodgers and the diamondbacks! 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I'm sure you can feel how shit is about to get real very soon haha 
> 
> Oh by the way! The BokuAka fic is already out with its first chapter, so feel free to check it out <333 And uhm... I think that's about it? So enjoy it guys~~ 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

A distant thudding, followed by the constant mechanic sound of something loudly buzzing in the continuing room. Iwaizumi slowly opened his eyes and looked around, remembering the previous night and smiling to himself at the memory of his first time with Oikawa. He turned to his right looking for his sleeping boy, but instead he found the emptiness of the gray silk sheets falling perfectly everywhere and the almost gone enchanting scent of Oikawa.

He looked to his other side and found the large windows that showed to a grand balcony. The views of the city were fascinating, and although the wall-sized windows made Iwaizumi feel like he was being watched and had no privacy, Oikawa’s building was the tallest in the area, so no one could see into the apartment.

He rubbed his eyes and sat on the edge of the bed, he looked for his underwear for a bit until he finally found it. Putting his briefs on, he walked around the room indulging in his own curiosity. He felt slightly creepy, but he wanted to know more about Oikawa, he wanted to catch a glimpse of what kind of person he was when he was alone with his own thoughts, the way he acted in solitude or at least what sort of person he was when Iwaizumi wasn’t around.

The room itself was decorated in a minimalistic manner, a few odd paintings here and there, the cold leather furniture giving shape to a sophisticated ambiance, and the walls that weren’t large windows were covered in large and thick bookshelves that drowned in incredible quantities of books. He approached one of them and examined the books, wondering what kind of reading was the one that Oikawa enjoyed, but he found the shelves to be categorized by topic and skill. Iwaizumi liked to be organized but… He never imagined Oikawa being this organized to begin with! The shelves had all kinds of labels; cooking, business, sports, gardening… Even categories about bird species and types of car engines. Whatever Iwaizumi could think of, Oikawa had a book on it on his shelf. _Has he read all of this??_

On the opposite side of the door, Iwaizumi could see a low table filled with all kinds of frames and trophies. He approached it and examined them closely; diplomas and awards piled up in an almost disorganized manner, too many to probably even know how to set them up in an orderly fashion. Framed diplomas with titles such as; best student, most hard-working, most handsome… Medals for all kinds of sports, trophies for all kinds of activities, piano recitals, violin contest, chess competitions… Oikawa had participated in literally everything and any activity in existence… And won first place trophies for everything.

Iwaizumi sighed and shook his head, he hated this guy… He clenched his jaw at the thought of how wrong it felt to think something like that now, he didn’t hate him, he was in love with him and he hated himself for that. 

Unsure of how to process these thoughts so early in the morning, he rubbed his eyes again and walked out of the room, deciding to follow the noise that had woken him up, hoping to find Oikawa at the end of the path.

He walked through the hallway towards one of the doors, he slowly opened it letting the noise become louder as he approached the source. He took a peek inside and the sight of what he found almost killed him. Oikawa was running on a treadmill. A shirtless, sweaty Oikawa running with tight shorts, his muscles tightened by every step, his breathing steady and his eyes pierced on the muted flat TV screen that hung on the opposite wall.

Oikawa turned to the door and smiled at Iwaizumi. He took off one of his earphones and greeted him, “Please tell me I didn’t wake you up.” He asked with a perfect breathing rhythm as he continued to run.

Iwaizumi hesitated, he was having a hard time focusing and looking away from Oikawa, “No…” He finally turned to the TV, “Watching the Dodgers play?”

Oikawa giggled, “Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks, it’s the game from last night.”

Iwaizumi looked back at Oikawa, taking advantage of the fact that he had gone back to watching the game, Iwaizumi’s eyes examined him; he couldn’t take his eyes off of Oikawa’s sweaty muscled chest, his tight shorts wrapped around his perfect and rounded ass and strong thighs…

“Want some breakfast?” Oikawa asked without looking back at him.

Iwaizumi leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms, “Breakfast can wait; I’m enjoying the view right now.” He said with a low and coarse voice.

Oikawa turned to him with a hint of surprise and cheekiness, he pressed one of the buttons on the treadmill and his steps began to slow down, “I take it you woke up feeling rather energetic?” He said with a smirk.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “You’re the one to talk, I thought I left you pretty exhausted last night.”

Oikawa chuckled, this time stopping still and stepping off the treadmill, “You did; I’m just really quick at recovering my energy.”

“Why didn’t you say so? I could have gone for a second round last night.” Iwaizumi replied in a daring and playful tone.

Oikawa walked towards him and carefully put his right hand against the wall, right next to Iwaizumi’s head, “Well aren’t we still on time?”

Iwaizumi chuckled, his arms still crossed on his chest, “Are you sure you can keep up? I just woke up and yet you’ve been running for what? An hour?”

Oikawa rose an eyebrow, his lips formed in a smirk as he leaned forward, his body very close to Iwaizumi’s, “Two, actually, but I could have gone for a couple more.”

Iwaizumi hesitated, “Seriously? Four hours?”

Oikawa shrugged, “I work out a lot and I’ve been running daily since I was 15.”

“Damn…” Iwaizumi tilted his head unable to stop himself from showing how impressed he was.

Oikawa chuckled and carefully kissed him, “Good morning.”

Iwaizumi kissed him back, this time moving his hands down to Oikawa’s ass, “Yeah, good morning…” He mumbled while squeezing his hands.

Oikawa giggled “Shall we take a shower?” He kissed him again, this time softly and more slowly.

Iwaizumi nodded while enjoying the taste of Oikawa’s lips… They were the best thing he had ever tasted and knew he was doomed to this new addiction.

Oikawa carefully grabbed him by the hand and lead him back to his room, and into the bathroom. Just like everything else in the house; it was huge and screaming luxury from every corner. Oikawa started the shower and turned to Iwaizumi, he began to take off his shirt while kissing him softly and tenderly. 

Iwaizumi obeyed, lifting his arms and letting the shirt slide off his body. Almost immediately he did the same, taking off Oikawa’s tight shorts, although part of him felt bad for having to do that, he liked the way he looked on those… But the thought of having him naked instead made up for it.

After long kisses and once they were both naked, Iwaizumi grabbed Oikawa’s hand and walked towards the water, pulling him into the shower. Oikawa followed him, and as they both felt the warmth of the water gently falling onto their skin, they embraced once more, kissing more desperately than before. Oikawa gently pushed Iwaizumi’s back against the cold marble wall, making him shiver and sigh against his lips.

Iwaizumi moved his hands up to Oikawa’s neck, running his fingers through his wet hair. Meanwhile, Oikawa moved his hands down, one against Iwaizumi’s behind, grabbing it tightly, and the other towards his length.

“You’re hard already, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa whispered before biting Iwaizumi’s lower lip.

“I don’t need to put my hand on your cock to feel how hard you are as well,” Iwaizumi replied in annoyance.

Oikawa chuckled, “Turn around.”

Iwaizumi hesitated, his cheeks burning at hearing Oikawa’s rusty turned on voice giving him orders.

“You did say you like to switch,” He said, staring into Iwaizumi’s eyes with a deep hunger.

Iwaizumi smirked, “I do; I guess I didn’t know you do too.” He replied while turning around and putting his chest against the cold wall.

Oikawa slowly ran his fingers down Iwaizumi’s hips while carefully kissing his shoulders, “I want to have Iwa-chan in every way… Every place… Every time of the day I can think of.”

Iwaizumi bit his lower lip and rested his forehead against the wall, he could feel his own body melting and trembling with every word and every kiss, he wanted more… He wanted the same thing as Oikawa, except the sole thought of that, made him want to blurt out how much he fucking loved him.

Oikawa moved out of the shower for a few seconds, coming back with the bottle of lubricant and a condom. Standing behind Iwaizumi once more, Iwaizumi could only hear the sound of the bottle being opened and closed before feeling the cold touch against his behind. His body tightened, but Oikawa began to kiss his shoulders and neck once more, making him relax again.

Oikawa carefully slipped the tip of his fingers inside Iwaizumi, making him bite his lower lip even harder to muffle the moans. Oikawa moved his finger slowly, deepening inside Iwaizumi.

“Oikawa…” He mumbled, looking down, his hands moving as if he was trying to grip himself to the wall.

“Mhm?” Oikawa asked amusedly.

“Harder…” Iwaizumi felt his own voice weaken and disappear with a loud sigh as he felt Oikawa’s finger thrusting in and out inside of him.

“You know…” Oikawa whispered in Iwaizumi’s ear, “I could make you wait… Like you did to me last night…”

The sole thought of having to wait made Iwaizumi moan in agony and move his hip backward against Oikawa’s hand, thrusting his finger in deeper.

“But I definitely don’t have that much self-control.” He continued to whisper in Iwaizumi’s ear as he slipped one more finger inside of him, this time thrusting without taking it slow. “Do you want more?”

Iwaizumi arched his back, lifting his behind and feeling his knees shaking, he was biting his lower lip as hard as he could while he desperately nodded.

Oikawa began to lick Iwaizumi’s neck up to his ear, he moved a third finger inside Iwaizumi while biting his earlobe and softly moaning. “You look so cute from here, Iwa-chan…”

Iwaizumi continued to move his hips, he wanted more, he wanted Oikawa, and although he could feel the pleasure from having his fingers inside of him, he wanted more…

“You really want me, Iwa-chan… Don’t you?” Oikawa’s voice continued to be as sweet as his giggles, but his words were hot and cutting, making Iwaizumi feel more desperate by the second.

Iwaizumi nodded again, his eyes closed as he pressed his left cheek against the wall and moved his hand down to his own length. He began to desperately touch himself, trying to fill the void of pleasure he felt at not having Oikawa’s cock inside of him.

Almost immediately Oikawa moved his fingers out, leaving Iwaizumi in his position, still touching himself and waiting for Oikawa to finish putting on the condom.

After a few seconds of waiting and hearing the crackling sound of the wrapping plastic, Iwaizumi could feel the tip of Oikawa’s cock against him.

“Are you sure?” Oikawa purred in his ear.

“Shut the fuck up,” Iwaizumi hissed between breaths, his eyes closed and with a frown on his face while he touched himself, “Fuck me already…”

 As the words exited his lips, he felt Oikawa sliding inside, moaning softly as he felt the warmth of Iwaizumi’s behind against his length. Iwaizumi moved his free hand against his mouth and bit his fist instead to muffle the loud moan. 

Oikawa began to move slowly, thrusting in and out while he grabbed Iwaizumi by his hip. With his other hand, he pulled Iwaizumi’s fist away from his mouth, leaving him defenseless and with nothing to hold back with.

Iwaizumi tried to resist, but he felt far too weak to hold back. Feeling Oikawa’s cock twitch inside of him, hearing him moan against his ear… Everything was too much for him to try anything else, there was no point and unavoidably the moans began to escape his lungs, joining those of Oikawa.

“Iwa-chan… Oh my god, Iwa-chan…” Oikawa pressed his lips against Iwaizumi’s shoulder, moving his hips harder and deeper each time.

“Oikawa…” He moaned back while feeling himself getting harder and harder, aware of how close he was to the orgasm.

Oikawa moved his hand up to Iwaizumi’s hair, pulling his head back. He bit his ear once more, and between moans, he mumbled, “I’m close, Iwa-…” It seemed to be hard for him to finish the sentence, and Iwaizumi couldn’t blame him, he was as close to the orgasm as Oikawa and he didn’t find enough strength to reply or say anything at all other than Oikawa’s name.

Soon, Oikawa’s grip on Iwaizumi’s hair tightened, the thrusting fastened until neither of them were able to hold back and came, with loud moans and their bodies trembling with the tension and pleasure.

They rested on each other, Oikawa putting his forehead against Iwaizumi’s shoulder, and Iwaizumi resting the back of his head against Oikawa’s. As their breathings were evening up, Oikawa slowly pulled out from Iwaizumi, making him tremble at the feeling of Oikawa’s length exiting his body. He was exhausted, but he wanted more, he wanted Oikawa to stay inside of him forever.

“Say… Why don’t we finish showering and have some breakfast?” Oikawa said before sighing.

Iwaizumi chuckled and slowly turned to him, fearing his legs might give up on him, “I think that’s a great idea.” He said before leaning closer and kissing him.

 

\----

 

“Did you really win all those awards and trophies?” Iwaizumi was leaning on the kitchen counter with Oikawa sitting on it to his side, they both chose to have a bowl of cereal while watching the ending of the baseball match Oikawa had recorded the previous night.

“Hm? The ones in my room?” He asked without taking his eyes off the TV on the wall.

“Do you have more?” Iwaizumi asked before taking the spoon into his mouth.

Oikawa nodded slowly, “Most of them are at my parents place in my old room.”

Iwaizumi turned to him in surprise, “Most of them?? What were you? A super child with no social life??”

Oikawa tilted his head, “No, I was a rich kid with high expectations to meet.”

Iwaizumi frowned and looked back at the TV, “Well… You sure met them all.”

Oikawa chuckled, “You’d be surprised… They are pretty unhappy with me.”

“Because you didn’t want to inherit the company?” Iwaizumi asked distractedly.

Oikawa turned to him with surprise, “How much did Kuroo tell you??”

Iwaizumi turned to him and hesitated, “He just… Said your parents took Ushijima in… And you were supposed to be the CEO… And that’s why you started so late as an actor.” He shrugged.

Oikawa frowned, “I leave you for a second with that asshole and he’s telling you my story…” He mumbled.

They heard the front door being opened and the sound of keys dangling as the door closed once again. “Oikawa?”

Iwaizumi shivered at the sound of that voice, and feeling grateful that they both had gotten dressed after the shower, he looked at the Kitchen entrance only to find Ushijima walking in with a frown.

“Morning, Ushiwaka-chan! Breakfast?” Oikawa asked cheerfully and oblivious to the death stare Ushijima was shooting at Iwaizumi.

“I already ate,” He mumbled without taking his eyes off Iwaizumi. “There’s a reporter downstairs.”

Oikawa turned to him in surprise, “Woah, they found out where I live pretty quickly!”

Ushijima groaned and turned to Oikawa, “He was talking to your doorman.”

Oikawa tilted his head, “About?”

Ushijima squinted his eyes, “Your doorman says he only asked about you and your upcoming movie.”

Oikawa nodded slowly and then shrugged, “Fair enough, but I doubt my doorman can tell them much.” He chuckled. “You must have come here for something else, though,” He said quickly changing the subject.

Ushijima hesitated, he wanted to continue talking about this and Iwaizumi had a bad feeling. “Yes, New Year’s Eve,” He said leaving an envelope on the kitchen island.

“Ah! Yeah, I’m taking Iwa-chan!” Oikawa said happily while watching the game.

“You can’t.” Ushijima quickly added.

Iwaizumi could only look back and forth at each man while he listened to the exchange.

“Why not?” Oikawa asked with a smile, “A plus-one is mandatory.”

Ushijima nodded, “And you already signed me up as your plus one.”

Oikawa laughed, “I thought you would have changed it to go with Shirabu.”

Ushijima frowned and clenched his jaw, “Now why would I do that?”

Oikawa looked back at Ushijima with menacing eyes, “I don’t know Ushiwaka-chan… You seem to have him on a very tight leash.” He shrugged with a smile.

Ushijima shifted in his place while looking away, which must have been the first time Iwaizumi saw him get uncomfortable and avoid someone’s eyes.

“It’s okay, I’ll just give an invitation to Iwa-chan,” Oikawa added turning to Iwaizumi, “Do you have a friend you could bring?”

Iwaizumi wanted to ask what exactly they were talking about but he felt it would be a bad idea to look like a clueless idiot around Ushijima. he slowly nodded.

“Good! Then Ushiwaka-chan, you’re my plus one but Iwa-chan comes as a guest.” He smiled, “You can invite Shirabu as well.”

Ushijima turned to Oikawa, “Drop the Shirabu nonsense.” He glared at Iwaizumi and walked out of the kitchen, only to slam the front door closed.

They remained in silence for a few minutes watching the end of the match, Iwaizumi wasn’t sure where to begin or what question to ask first, but Oikawa was the one who broke the silence.

“Every New Year’s Eve the Shiratorizawa Agency throws a private party for the best. The best actors, the best writers, best agents, etc. Not too many people, in total... probably about 10. We drink, we eat, and have fun playing poker.” He shrugged, “It’s more of a tradition among friends, so Kuroo will be there.”

Iwaizumi listened intently and nodded, “Are you sure you want me to go? Ushijima doesn’t seem very okay with that.”

Oikawa chuckled, “You already know it’s nothing personal. He’s just paranoid. I want you there, so if you agree I’d love to spend New Year’s Eve with you.”

Iwaizumi hesitated but then nodded, “Okay… I’ll go then…” He sighed, “I better go now, I want to get some clean clothes.” He stood up.

Oikawa turned to him, “Wanna come back tonight? Spend the night here again?”

Iwaizumi looked back at him, “Okay.”

Oikawa nodded, “Okay, bring some spare clothes if you want, and toothbrush and stuff. You can leave them here for when you come over.”

Iwaizumi froze in place but managed to nod and kiss him goodbye before walking out of the room. He could feel his cheeks burning and his heart beating like crazy in his chest. _Wasn’t leaving stuff in Oikawa’s place the closest thing to dating?? Did that mean Oikawa feels something for him too??_

Deep in thought, he walked towards the elevator and arrived at the lobby. He waved goodbye at the Doorman who looked at him with odd eyes, but Iwaizumi was far too lost in his own mind to notice that… Or the camera flashes from behind the bushes in front of Oikawa’s building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys know how much I love dragging lovely ships through hell?? Well I hope you guys can smell the fire cause these cuties sure can't! Hahaha 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed all the Oiiwa, there will definitely be more in the future cause I dont wanna make this a one time thing as I'm sure Oikawa and Iwa-chan dont want either! 
> 
> What do you guys think will happen next? shit about to get real? How? Why? who? what?? where am I? drop a comment with your thoughts, opinions, and favorite song. I just like reading you guys cause i love you all! 
> 
> Have a joyful weekend, and be ready for the next chapter <333 (dont forget to share or check out the other fics in the series!) 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	12. Tuxedos and Headers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto turned to him, his eyes wide open, “Wait, what??” He moved his hand and lowered the music, “You’re in love??”
> 
> Iwaizumi groaned and looked at him for a few seconds before turning his eyes back to the road, “I think whether I am or not this is not the best moment to talk about it.”
> 
> “Why not??” His friend asked eagerly.
> 
> “Because we are on our way to a New Year’s Eve dinner hosted by whoever I might be in love with…” He said between his teeth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, darlings, sorry for the delay. Unfortunately, this week's updates will be all over the place, I won't only not be able to be on time, but I might also miss one of them. I'm really trying to have them ready before the end of the week, but I'm dealing with some personal issues so it's hard to get the words down when I'm not really feeling it. I will really try to be as close as I can to the deadlines because I don't only hate being late, but I also want to bring you guys the updates when I promised. 
> 
> In the meantime and to make this up to everyone, I want to announce the probable list of upcoming fics for the series, those being; Kuroo/Kenma, Ushijima/Shirabu, Kageyama/Hinata, and Kiyoko/Yachi. Feel free to suggest, request or whatever, and please know I'm always up for requests. 
> 
> (Song for the dinner scene, mostly for certain poker interaction... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LFjHo7Cdrw )
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful week! <333
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

Iwaizumi drove in silence, his mind elsewhere, continuously hearing Oikawa’s voice in his head; _‘Okay, bring some spare clothes if you want, and toothbrush and stuff. You can leave them here for when you come over.’_ He sighed loudly. His hand moving on the gear and his head almost resting against the window. He felt uncomfortable wearing the tuxedo he had rented from a nearby store, but if it meant making Oikawa happy by fitting in, he would do it… Making him happy… He sighed again. His mind going through each word, each syllable and each sound over and over, trying to figure out if he had missed a speck of a clue, something that would indicate Oikawa shared his feelings and this was not a temporal thing for him… Sure he had said it wasn’t, but prolonging things and committing out of love were completely different things. He sighed.

“Okay dude, that’s the fifth time you’ve sighed since I got in the car, what the fuck?” Bokuto startled him, he was sitting in the co-pilot seat, his tuxedo neatly fixed around his muscles making him seem bigger and stronger than he normally looked.

Iwaizumi unconsciously sighed again, “Nothing, I just feel a bit out of breath.” He shook his head and continued to drive.

Bokuto chuckled, “Could it be you’re… In love?” He sang the words goofily.

Iwaizumi tensed up and looked at the road, “I don’t know.” He mumbled back, hoping his words would muffle through the radio music.

Bokuto turned to him, his eyes wide open, “Wait, what??” He moved his hand and lowered the music, “You’re in love??”

Iwaizumi groaned and looked at him for a few seconds before turning his eyes back to the road, “I think whether I am or not this is not the best moment to talk about it.”

“Why not??” His friend asked eagerly.

“Because we are on our way to a New Year’s Eve dinner hosted by whoever I might be in love with…” He said between his teeth.

“Oh.” Bokuto frowned before looking out the window, “Well then may I ask; why am I your plus one?” He giggled.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I called Daichi but apparently he was going to be in a ski resort in Sapporo… And then I called Suga and he said he was going to Sapporo.”

“Hmm… Interesting.” Bokuto grinned.

“What is?” Iwaizumi asked distractedly while turning left.

Bokuto chuckled, “Both of them? Spending New Years in Sapporo?”

Iwaizumi turned to him with a confused glance, “You think there’s something between them?”

Bokuto looked back at him and smirked, “Come on, don’t tell me you don’t see it…”

Iwaizumi titled his head, “I know Suga has a thing for Daichi but… Isn’t Daichi with Yui?”

Bokuto looked at him perplexed, “Seriously Iwaizumi, how do you get through life noticing so little??”

Iwaizumi blinked a few times, “Is there something I don’t know??” He felt odd for gossiping about his co-workers, he hated to talk about his friends when they weren’t present, but the curiosity was far too much.

Bokuto remained silent, looking the opposite way and watching the cars go by.

“Bokuto?? Okay seriously,” He slapped him on the chest with his free hand, “What the fuck are you not telling me??”

“Hmmm….” Bokuto pursed his lips together trying to contain the words in his mouth.

“I swear I’ll stop the car and throw you out if you don’t shed some light on this!” Iwaizumi complained trying to repress the laughter.

Bokuto took a deep breath and closed his eyes, “I caught them having sex!” He blurted out loudly.

Silence reigned among them, the car frozen at the red light. Iwaizumi slowly turned to Bokuto, “What? The fuck? Why didn’t? What? When?!”

Bokuto sighed and covered his face with his hands, “You remember the summer trip we had with the students?”

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “Yeah, what about it?”

“You remember when we went out to get drinks and then I went to get them to your room and… Only Suga came back minutes later?” He said with a mixture of smugness and shyness.

Iwaizumi tried to remember the night he was talking about, he recalled going straight to Bokuto and Suga’s room with the bag of drinks and sitting down opening the first beer while watching the TV. He vaguely remembered Suga coming into the room looking slightly odd and gulping down drinks, and Daichi never showing up.

“You have to be kidding me…” He finally whispered, “How can I notice so little?! They practically had sex right in front of me!”

Bokuto chuckled, “Well, technically they had sex in front of me… Although I think they were finished when I caught them.”

Iwaizumi turned to him, his cheeks pink from unconsciously visualizing what Bokuto had walked into, “So…” He cleared his throat, “Are they together now?”

Bokuto shrugged, “They had a horrible fight that night and for what I’ve heard they made up, but I’m not sure if as friends or something else.”

Iwaizumi sighed and shook his head, “Man, the things I miss out on…”

After a few more seconds of prolonged chatting and laughter, they finally arrived at the huge and tall building with the letters ‘SHIRATORIZAWA AGENCY’ engraved above the front door. Iwaizumi parked the car and they both climbed out, taking a deep breath to process the greatness and luxury of the building that lied in front of them. After a few seconds, and coming back to their senses thanks to the cold weather, both men started to walk towards the big crystal door.

A man stood behind it, taller than anyone Iwaizumi had ever seen before. He was wearing a dark fancy suit and in his ear, a plastic earphone twirled down to his neck. “This is a VIP event,” He said putting his arm in front of them to block the entrance.

Iwaizumi hesitated, but as he sighed, he reached into the jacket of his tuxedo, taking out a thick red envelope. “He’s my plus one.” He pointed at Bokuto.

The man examined the invitation before frowning and nodding, letting them through. “The elevator at the end of the hallway, second floor.”

They both nodded, and just as they began to walk towards the elevator, Bokuto leaned to Iwaizumi, “Shit be real among these rich peeps… This better be fun, or else I’ll just get wasted.” He laughed.

Iwaizumi chuckled, “Don’t worry, I know of someone you’ll get along with just fine…” He mumbled.

They stepped into the elevator and Iwaizumi pressed the button to the second floor. They began to slowly move, the soft melody of a waiting room surrounding the enclosed space. They stood side by side, their hands in their pockets and their mouth closed in silence, waiting.

As the light above the doors slowly changed to the number two, the elevator music faded, mixing with a combination of loud blues and the voices of a crowd. The doors opened and they emerged into a completely different world. 

The lights on the ceiling shone bright and illuminated the entire room, the music was loud and it mixed with the laughter and voices, the crinkling of the glasses as the waiters passed them around or picked them up empty from the table. There were, at least, twenty people, all very well dressed, but the manners they seemed to have had at the gala Iwaizumi had first gone to, were nonexistent.

“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa’s loud voice made Iwaizumi turn to his side, finding him seated at a large rounded table made of what seemed green carpet. Oikawa waved for them to approach and they both obeyed, stepping through the crowd towards the table.

“I see we are late?” Iwaizumi asked trying to contain his big smile, he was so happy to see Oikawa.

Oikawa sighed and pouted, “You’re actually just in time, I’m losing a lot of money and I was hoping for a good excuse to get out.” He chuckled.

Only then Iwaizumi realized a poker game was taking place at the table, a huge amount of chips placed in the middle, and many more between Kuroo’s arms. He was clearly emptying everyone else’s pockets.

“I see you’re not good at poker?” Iwaizumi asked with a smirk.

“He’s dreadful, but maybe you are better at bluffing?” Kuroo asked, his eyes shining and his lips formed into an evil grin.

“He’s not only bad at bluffing, but he’s also blind when it comes to calling other people out,” Bokuto replied with a cheeky tone from behind Iwaizumi.

Kuroo rose an eyebrow, “Who’s the owl looking guy?”

Iwaizumi cleared his throat, “This is Bokuto, my co-worker and plus one.”

Bokuto crossed his arms, “If you’re so confident when it comes to winning, you won’t be scared to take me on, right?” He asked daringly.

Kuroo grinned, “Oh, I was hoping you’d come…” He signaled for Oikawa to move away, making him stand up and walk towards Iwaizumi, “Sit, maybe I’ll end up not only taking your money, but I might also take you home.” He winked at Bokuto.

Bokuto eagerly sat to his side, “Oh darling, you wouldn’t be able to handle this, not at a poker table, let alone in bed. Besides, I’m afraid I’ve got my eye on someone else.” He grabbed his cards, getting comfortable on what used to be Oikawa’s chair.

“Is that so? Well, it’s alright, I’m tied to someone else anyways.” He chuckled while gesturing to Kenma with his chin.

Kenma put down his cards and stood up, “Please don’t talk as if there was actually something between us, Kuroo.” He said in a bored tone, “I’m going to the rest-room and to get a drink.” He walked away.

Iwaizumi sighed, “Please behave, or I swear I’ll kill you.” He whispered in Bokuto’s ear.

Bokuto smirked and without taking his eyes off of Kuroo he replied, “Don’t worry Iwaizumi, I’m planning on leaving this party with my pockets full of this brat’s money.”

Iwaizumi shook his head, but just as he was about to say something else he felt Oikawa’s soft hand caressing his, pulling him away into the crowd. He turned to him slightly surprised but then smiled, letting himself be dragged.

“Want a drink, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa asked as he walked to the bar. Suddenly another guest stopped him, he turned to Iwaizumi, “I’ll meet you there in a second okay?” He smiled before turning back to the guests.

Iwaizumi tightened his grip on Oikawa’s hand, almost afraid of letting go, “Sure.” He finally let go and glanced at the people who were sitting at the bar, one of them was Kenma, toying with the straw from his drink. Iwaizumi sat next to him, watching Oikawa in the distance, surrounded by people.

“You look good in a tuxedo.” Kenma said vaguely to him.

Iwaizumi turned to him in surprise, “Thanks, you do too.”

He chuckled, “I guess if we were both uncomfortable in a suit back at the gala, this is just as worse for me as it is for you.”

Iwaizumi chuckled as well and nodded, Kenma was indeed very observant, and part of him couldn’t help but visualize someone like him with Kuroo. Definitely a pair worth seeing in real life.

“Then why do you do it?” Kenma asked looking back at his drink.

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “Why am I wearing a tuxedo?”

Kenma nodded, carefully watching his expression.

Iwaizumi felt almost paralyzed by his piercing feline eyes, he gulped, “Uhm… Because Oikawa asked me to…” He mumbled.

“Ah yeah, I guess Oikawa can be pretty convincing when he wants to.” He shrugged, “I always thought…”

He continued talking, but Iwaizumi wasn’t really listening. He was watching Oikawa, the way he talked to the people and giggled loudly, squinting his eyes and covering his lips. How he moved his hands in a goofy manner, or the way his voice changed when he was talking about something serious as opposed to just trying to entertain whoever was around him. His thin neck, his careful and delicate chin along with his cute ears that were unusually covered by his hair every once in a while, the ones that sold them out when he was embarrassed because they turned bright red along with his cheeks… Even that one lock of hair that got lost from the rest and instead of falling everywhere, it just pointed straight up, making him look a thousand times more adorable. He sighed, he sighed, again and again, every time he observed something else.

“Oh boy…” He heard Kenma mumble to his side, bringing him back to reality.

“What?” He turned to him hoping to find the answer in his face, but instead he only found the small man looking straight back at him.

Kenma shook his head, “You’re so screwed…” Iwaizumi was about to ask what he meant, but Kenma only gestured for the waiter to bring them another round of scotch, he passed the glass to him and took one for himself, “I don’t usually drink the heavy stuff, but your eyes? You’re so fucked…”

Iwaizumi titled his head, he was starting to feel scared. He carefully touched his face, “What’s wrong with my eyes??”

Kenma chuckled, “The way you just looked at Oikawa, you’re in love with him.”

He tensed up and looked away, grabbing his drink. He didn’t know what to say, but Kenma spoke for him.

“Drink up, kiddo, you’re not alone when it comes to being lost in the land of love.” He mumbled.

They clicked their glasses together and drank in silence, spacing out as they watched the waiter clean up the place. Soon enough, Oikawa came back carefully running his fingers through Iwaizumi’s hair.

“Sorry for making you wait, are you having fun?” He asked with a guilty expression.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi chuckled, “Don’t worry about it, I understand you have a lot of people to attend.”

Oikawa smiled softly before looking around, as he noticed no one was watching except for Kenma, he leaned forward and carefully kissed Iwaizumi on the lips. “Want to go get some air?”

Iwaizumi could feel his cheeks burning, he looked around wondering if anyone had seen that, hoping Ushijima wouldn’t be anywhere near. He nodded slowly, looking into Oikawa’s eyes and making all his worries go away. Oikawa smiled in return, offering his hand for him to take.

Kenma nodded to them as they both walked away, disappearing into the elevator and towards the bottom floor. They walked out to the streets and took a deep breath.

“Sorry, I just… I get a bit overwhelmed when people talk to me constantly.” Oikawa sighed, his eyes closed and his chin lifted, enjoying the fresh breeze of winter.

Iwaizumi watched him, remembering the first night they had gone out for drinks and how he had always known how beautiful he was, regardless of how hard he tried to deny it to himself out of fear. “It’s okay.” He smiled moving his eyes to the ground, “I don’t like crowded places, so I know what it’s like.”

Oikawa turned to him, one eye opened and a smile on his face, “You don’t like being the center of attention, do you?”

Iwaizumi chuckled, “The only people I can stand staring at me in a group are toddlers…”

Oikawa sighed and walked to him, “I’m sorry I’m always making you come to these things…” He moved his hand to Iwaizumi’s and caressed it with his fingers.

“I like them.” Iwaizumi quickly replied, “I mean, I like being with you, I don’t care if it means participating in galas or office dinners.” He reached out, grabbing Oikawa’s hand. “I like being with you…” He mumbled, resting his forehead on Oikawa’s shoulder.

Oikawa moved his hand up to Iwaizumi’s back, hugging him with one arm, “I like being with you too, Iwa-chan.” He mumbled, making Iwaizumi feel the vibrations of his voice through his chest.

Iwaizumi took a deep breath and bit his lower lip, he wanted to blurt out the words, he wanted to tell him how much he loved him and how he couldn’t take his eyes off of him because he was entirely perfect, even his flaws made his heart weaken. “Oikawa, I-”

“Hey, guys! Dinner is served! The clock will hit 12 soon!” Kuroo yelled from the other side door, his voice loud enough for them to hear it from the outside.

They both chuckled and Iwaizumi began to walk back into the building but Oikawa stopped him, “Wait, what were you going to say, Iwa-chan?”

Iwaizumi tilted his head, thinking, but then shrugged, “It doesn’t matter now, let’s go have dinner.” He smiled.

Oikawa hesitated but followed him into the building.

For the rest of the night, they had watched Bokuto and Kuroo laugh in unison and recall the poker plays they had battled through. It wasn’t clear who had won out of the two, but it was certain they had sacked everyone else at the table. Iwaizumi and Oikawa were inseparable for the rest of the night, and when the clock hit 12 everyone embraced and toasted for the New Year.

\----

 

A door opened and closed in the distance, Sai barked euphorically at the bedroom door, waiting for whoever had just entered the apartment to storm in.

“Oikawa…” Iwaizumi mumbled in his sleep, trying to open up his eyes but feeling far too tired from the night before.

“Nnng…” Oikawa mumbled, moving around and holding the pillow tighter.

Soon, the bedroom door burst open, and a loud slam of a heavy stack of papers fell on the bed.

“I fucking told you!” Ushijima’s deep voice resounded in the room, making them both open their eyes.

“What?” Oikawa mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

Iwaizumi tried to cover himself, he didn’t want Ushijima to see he was naked under the sheets, but Ushijima only gave him an indifferent glare.

“I told you to be careful.” He pointed at the stack of papers he had thrown on the bed. It was a magazine.

Oikawa slowly grabbed it and eyed the cover, “Shit…” He rubbed his face and sighed.

Iwaizumi looked at them both and then examined what Oikawa was looking at. He widened his eyes and felt his heart almost come out from his mouth, his stomach curled up inside of him as his hands began to shake. 

“No way…” He grabbed the magazine, examining it closer. He saw himself in the pictures of the cover, exiting Oikawa’s apartment, going for the New Year’s dinner, even both of them holding hands and hugging at the front door of the agency. The header? They were big bold letters that wrote; _‘Oikawa Tooru gay?’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	13. Practiced Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi sat on the cushioned floor of Bokuto’s classroom, his eyes staring down at the table filled with disastrous childish doodles. His coworkers sat around the table, Suga pouring drinks while Daichi read the article out loud.
> 
> “Recent discoveries have proved that the mysterious male lover is Iwaizumi Hajime, a kindergarten teacher at Sunshine Park Academy…” Daichi sighed, “Seriously, what is wrong with the press?”
> 
> Iwaizumi crossed his arms, hiding the way his strong hands were shaking and closed his eyes, “You haven’t even gotten to the worst part…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, I'm just gonna cut to the chase here; 
> 
> I'M SORRY! 
> 
> Now, please enjoy. 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

Loud noises breaking through the walls, screams and yells with muffled words. They were all aimed at Iwaizumi. 

The outside of Sunshine Park Academy was surrounded by the paparazzi and reporters who wanted to get a good look and a proper picture of Iwaizumi, all of them screaming his name and asking questions to the windows that were darkened by the curtains and the blinds. 

Iwaizumi sat on the cushioned floor of Bokuto’s classroom, his eyes staring down at the table filled with disastrous childish doodles. His coworkers sat around the table, Suga pouring drinks while Daichi read the article out loud.

“Recent discoveries have proved that the mysterious male lover is Iwaizumi Hajime, a kindergarten teacher at Sunshine Park Academy…” Daichi sighed, “Seriously, what is wrong with the press?”

Iwaizumi crossed his arms, hiding the way his strong hands were shaking and closed his eyes, “You haven’t even gotten to the worst part…”

Bokuto leaned towards Daichi, trying to read, “What’s the worst… Holy shit, you have to be kidding me!” He grabbed the magazine from Daichi’s hands.

“What is it?” Kiyoko asked after taking a sip from her drink.

“They wrote about Terushima!” He almost screamed, “They wrote everything! The entire story!” He looked at Iwaizumi, “How the fuck do they know about this?!”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “Only Matsukawa and Terushima know about it… So it was probably the latter.”

Everyone at the table remained silent, staring at each other and trying to draw silent conclusions. Iwaizumi tried to remain rational about it, he tried to figure out who could have said anything or who would have any motives to open up their big mouths. If anything, he didn’t doubt his co-workers in the slightest. Suga would never do that, Daichi would protect him even if it meant getting run over by a car, Bokuto would beat up anyone that asked, and Kiyoko would burst into tears of guilt at the sight of the article.

“Okay, we seriously can’t be careful about this, it’s out in the open and we better talk about it.” Suga gently slammed his hand on the table, “Iwaizumi, who could have a motive good enough to tell the story?”

Everyone, including Iwaizumi himself, stared back at Suga. They all found themselves surprised by his sudden need to break the conversation, but their slow nods only indicated they agreed with his technique.

Iwaizumi cleared his throat, “Well… I know you guys didn’t…” He watched everyone shake their head, “Terushima would obviously rather die than admitting he’s gay or has been with a man… And well, I highly doubt Matsukawa has told anyone…”

“You highly doubt?” Daichi asked leaning forward and frowning. He really looked like a father interrogating his son about the bag of pot he found in his jacket.

Iwaizumi sighed and rubbed his face, “I don’t know, okay? I don’t know… I guess I would have to call him!”

The room was silent once more, drowning with the outside noises of the annoying reporters. The situation was tense, but they were all trying to stay cool, even Iwaizumi although he felt like he was going to run out of the Academy naked and screaming as he dealt with a mental breakdown.

“What did Oikawa say?” Kiyoko asked as Suga passed her the magazine.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “Ushijima asked me to leave almost immediately, I really have no idea but for the looks if it; he’s probably going to have trouble at work…” He sighed, “I really don’t know… We didn’t think… How come I didn’t notice?! I mean wouldn’t you notice if they are taking a picture of you?!”

Bokuto passed him another glass with alcohol, “These guys are clearly professional.” He said shaking his head.

Daichi crossed his arms, “Professional or not… Someone must have tipped them off.” He shrugged.

The question bugged Iwaizumi. The whole situation was entirely annoying and the invasion of privacy he felt was more than overwhelming. It really wasn’t about finding someone to blame, after all, they were the ones who got caught, and whoever tipped them off was someone Iwiazumi preferred to think they had been tricked into talking about the past. Unable to handle the annoyance and feeling an old glimpse of grumpiness he hadn’t felt in a long time, he pulled out his phone.

“I’m going to make a call. I’ll be right back.” He said standing up and walking to his own classroom. The entire place was darkened, his co-workers had taken special care to protect him from the outside people, and although he truly appreciated that, he couldn’t help but feel the aura was only as downing and scary as he felt on the inside.

He dialed a long number and waited for the person to pick up, shuffling with a pen from his desk between his fingers, and feeling an odd need to drink water to calm down his nerves.

“…Hello?” A grumpy and sore voice answered on the other side. Iwaizumi could hear a second man talking on the back, his voice as rusty and annoyed as the person on the phone, “Hello??” He repeated again.

“Matsukawa…” Iwaizumi finally replied, his voice escaping in a soft breath.

He could hear a shuffling of clothing on the other side of the line, steps and then the sound of someone closing a door, “Iwaizumi?!” Matsukawa asked, this time sounding more awake, “What’s wrong? Is everything okay??”

Iwaizumi cleared his throat and looked around the room, “Well… Uhmm…” He hesitated, “Have you… Have you been watching or reading the news?”

Matsukawa sighed, “Are you seriously calling me to ask if I’m keeping up with the current events?” He chuckled in annoyance, “Do you even know what time is over here?”

“No!” Iwaizumi quickly added. He felt bad for doubting him, but now that he had woken him up he felt even worse, “I… I’m in the news?”

Silence, he could almost hear Matsukawa’s brain processing the information, “You… You what?”

Iwaizumi sighed, “Just… Could you just get on a computer or something?”

“Yeah, yeah of course…” The distant sound of a computer being started, the random clicking, the uncomfortable silence… It was all driving Iwaizumi insane. “What am I supposed to search for?”

“Just search for any tabloid on Japanese celebrities…” He replied, closing his eyes and feeling the pain at speaking the words.

Matsukawa laughed on the other side, “You’re kidding, right? You’re on a celebrity tabloid?” Iwaizumi didn’t reply, instead, he waited in silence for him to find the right article and read through it. Finding it wouldn’t take long, but reading it… With all the information they had, he would have to pay quite a lot for that distance phone call… “Holy fuck…” Matsukawa said loudly on the other side, “Are you shitting me?!”

Iwaizumi nodded, “About what part?” He asked trying to humor the situation, but feeling like there wasn’t a way to feel any better.

“Okay…” Matsukawa began, probably trying to process the situation, “Okay, so you’re dating a male actor… He’s hot, by the way.” Classic Matsukawa… “And you’re telling me you got caught? And all these pictures? And they have Terushima’s story?!”

Iwaizumi sighed, “Well you’re the one reading the article… It’s pretty much everywhere here…”

“Shit…” Matsukawa sang the words in amazement, “I mean… I’m happy that you stepped up your game from dating a university jerk to a cute famous actor, but holy hell…”

“I know…” Iwaizumi mumbled, “So…”

“So you’re calling me to ask if I’m the one who told them about Teru?” Matsukawa finished the sentence.

Iwaizumi hesitated, “Look, I just… I just can’t think of anyone that knows the story… And we both know Terushima didn’t just publicly come out…” He sighed and scratched the back of his head, “I’m… I’m sorry, Mattsun, but I have to ask… Did you tell them?”

Matsukawa chuckled, “Iwaizumi, I love you, you’re one of my closest friends and although we don’t talk often and we barely even see each other… I love you like a brother. So I have to tell you, as someone who literally left Japan to marry another man, I’m the last person that would out you or tell that specific story…”

Iwaizumi sighed in relief, he genuinely hated the idea of losing a friend like Matsukawa. They had gone through enough bad stuff to have something like this happening between them. “What about your husband?”

Matsukawa laughed loudly this time, “You think Hanamaki called the press to tell them?!” He laughed again, “Iwaizumi, just like me he wouldn’t do something like that. Besides, we live miles away. Spain gets zero coverage when it comes to Japanese tabloids and scandals. I can assure you, we knew nothing about this, and we have nothing to do with this. I swear it on my life. We would never.”

“I know… I know…” Iwaizumi rubbed his eyes, “I just… I just had to make sure, okay?”

“I understand, and believe me, I will try to do my own research on the matter. But once again, I live in sunny Spain now, and it’s going to be tough. But please, if you want me to fly over there or anything, you just need to ask.” This time his humorous self was gone, and with the last sentence, he gave his final touch of seriousness.

Iwaizumi nodded although he couldn’t see him, “Thank you, Matsukawa. I’m sorry for waking you up, I’ll let you go back to sleep now.”

“anytime, darling.” He chuckled, “I hope things get better over there!”

“Thanks…” Iwaizumi said before hanging up.

He looked around, trying to figure out what to do next or who to call next. He wanted to find out who was behind all this, he felt offended and attacked, as if someone wanted his personal life to fail. He was finally being happy with someone, getting a chance at experiencing all the romantic and lovely things everyone was always talking about…

His phone buzzed in his hand bringing him back to reality. On the screen he could see Oikawa’s adorable face, posing for a ridiculous selfie he must have taken when Iwaizumi wasn’t looking and set it as the default image to show whenever he called.

“Oikawa…” Iwaizumi picked it up, and he smiled to himself, his voice expressing as much as a relief as he was experiencing.

“Hello, Iwaizumi…” Oikawa’s voice spoke from the other side, his tone was far more serious, almost professional.

He hesitated, looking at the screen once more to make sure he had gotten the right person, “Is everything okay?” He frowned.

Oikawa sighed on the other side, and then proceeded to clear his throat, “Can we talk for a minute?”

Iwaizumi gulped, “Yeah… What’s up?”

Silent seconds that seemed like long minutes, “I… I’m sorry Iwaizumi, I think it’s better if… We just stop seeing each other.”

Iwaizumi froze and his heart stopped, he felt his muscles twitching and a sensation of a cold bucket of water being dropped on his back, “…”

“Iwaizumi?” Oikawa mumbled from the other side.

“What?” He asked in shock, “What?” He repeated, almost as if his entire vocabulary had been erased, only leaving that question to be spoken.

“I think it’s-” Oikawa began.

“I heard you…” Iwaizumi interrupted him. His brain worked a thousand miles per hour, trying to listen to every syllable once more, trying to figure out where the joke was hiding because he didn’t find any of this funny, “Where are you?” He finally asked.

Oikawa hesitated, “I’m at work…”

Iwaizumi looked at his watch, he had plenty of time, “I’ll go there. Just… Just give me a few minutes.”

“No.” Oikawa quickly added. Long minutes passed as he seemed to think of something, “I’ll go to your place, okay?” He whispered, “I’ll be there in 20 minutes.” He hanged up.

Iwaizumi stared at his phone, unsure of what just happened. He walked back into Bokuto’s classroom, his face paralyzed and his entire body felt as if he was floating through the air. Weightless, senseless, emotionless.

“So? Any clu-” Suga’s cheerful voice was cut off as they all turned to him, “…Iwaizumi? What happened?” They all rose to their feet and approached him, “Are you feeling ill? You look very pale right now.”

Iwaizumi looked at them all, except he wasn’t really seeing them, “I… I think… I think I just got dumped?”

Kiyoko gasped, Suga covered his mouth, and Daichi and Bokuto stared at each other, almost going as pale as Iwaizumi was.

“You what?!” Daichi replied looking back at him.

Iwaizumi looked at the ground and pointed at the front door, “I… I have to get out of here… He said he’ll meet me at my apartment… To talk things…” He was in shock, his mind was swimming and he couldn’t process any information that wasn’t hearing Oikawa’s voice telling him to stop seeing each other over and over, and even that sentence couldn’t be processed either.

“You can’t!” Kiyoko added, “They will know you’re leaving and follow you!”

Iwaizumi looked at her and nodded, although he wasn’t sure what he was agreeing to, he wasn’t listening.

“Take off your clothes.” Bokuto suddenly added.

“What?” Daichi turned to him, “Bokuto this is not the time to-”

Bokuto ignored him and stepped forward, grabbing Iwaizumi by the cheeks, “Iwaizumi, look at me, look at me!” He shook him gently, trying to get his attention.

Iwaizumi obeyed, feeling a glimpse of reality.

“You’re panicking, and I get that. I’ve known you for years. But right now you have to take off your clothes, you hear me?” Bokuto spoke slowly, almost as if he was explaining something to one of his students.

Iwaizumi didn’t nod nor shake his head, he simply began to take off his clothes as Bokuto commanded. Everyone watched in confusion, except for his friend who proceeded to take off his clothes as well. As they both remained in their underwear, Bokuto handed his clothing to Daichi.

“Help him put on these on.” He grabbed Iwaizumi’s clothes and began to put them on.

Just as they started to understand Bokuto’s plan, they moved towards Iwaizumi who remained distant and paralyzed, his mind elsewhere and his indifference to his surroundings more than evident. He let his body lose and for his co-workers to move around as they pleased, not caring about his appearance or what was going on.

Once Bokuto and Iwaizumi had entirely swapped clothes, Bokuto sighed, “Okay, well… I’ll go out first, I’ll make a run for it. Once you see them go away, just have him leave, okay?”

They all nodded, “I’ll go with you.” Suga added, “It will look suspicious if Iwaizumi was leaving on his own through this mess.”

Bokuto looked back at him and smiled, “That sounds good. You two take care of him, okay?”

They both walked to the door and looked at each other before opening it and rushing outside with Bokuto’s head and face covered by Iwaizumi’s hoodie. The screams outside increased and the audible flashes of the cameras sped up as Bokuto and Suga made a run for it. Only after a few seconds did the sounds muffle in the distance as the plan seemed to be working.

After long minutes and after Daichi had made sure a large majority of reporters were gone, they both decided to go out as well, leaving Kiyoko in the school to make sure nothing happened to the building and to close after they all left.

They stepped outside and there was silence. No one recognized Bokuto’s clothes and Iwaizumi felt for the first time in the day free enough to walk around without being watched or stormed with questions about his private life. Daichi, protectively enough, walked to his side, his arm over his back and almost covering him with his entire body.

Long minutes, a distance that Iwaizumi seemed to remember to be shorter, but this time in specific took for them hours to complete. Finally, they arrived at his shabby apartment building and a black car was already waiting by the entrance.

Daichi looked back at Iwaizumi and nodded, “I’ll wait for you here, okay?”

Iwaizumi hesitated but nodded, he appreciated the privacy. He walked into his building and went up to his apartment. Oikawa was already waiting for him by the door, crouching and looking down at the ground with his hands in his pockets. As he heard the sound of Iwaizumi’s steps up the stairs, he looked up.

Iwaizumi felt a pinch in his heart, a mixture of relief, happiness, desire, pain, fear, and panic. He walked towards him and pulled out his keys. After three nervous attempts to get them inside the keyhole, he finally managed to open the door.

They both stepped into the apartment, and Iwaizumi couldn’t help but think this was the most silent they had ever been around each other. He closed the door after Oikawa went in and left the keys on the kitchen counter.

“So…” Oikawa began, not taking his coat off and not going any further into the small apartment, “What... What did you want to talk about?”

Iwaizumi frowned, “I don’t know, I figured if you were going to dump me, you might as well not be a coward and do it in person.” He blurted out the words, unsure if he was being brave himself, or if he was just taking out the anger on the situation.

Oikawa hesitated, avoiding to meet Iwaizumi’s eyes. “Dump you?” He chuckled softly, too fake for Iwaizumi to take personally, “We weren’t even dating. There’s no dumping to be done.”

Okay, maybe the chuckle was impossible to be taken personally, but that sentence was a dagger into Iwaizumi’s heart. He shrugged, “So you just want to stop seeing each other?”

Oikawa nodded, “I think it’s what we should do.” He continued to avoid eye contact.

“Why?” Iwaizumi said, feeling as if his heart was acting far too quickly for his brain to keep up. He didn’t know what he was saying or why he was saying.

Oikawa shrugged, “I think you know. It’s all over the news.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “So we’ll just deny the relationship?”

“There was no relationship.” Oikawa quickly added.

Iwaizumi chuckled sarcastically, “I see you already practiced your lines!”

This time, Oikawa looked back at him, his eyes mixed with offense and pain, but he looked away almost as quickly as Iwaizumi had spoken the words. He tensed his body and clenched his jaw, “Whatever. This is just an unnecessary hassle.”

Iwaizumi chuckled once more, shaking his head. He felt like he was about to cry, and although he was trying very hard to hold back the tears, he could feel them gathering in his eyes.

“What’s so funny about all this trouble?” Oikawa asked angrily.

His reaction only confused Iwaizumi even more. He was the one being dumped and yet Oikawa was getting angry? No way. He stepped forward, grabbing Oikawa by the collar and pulling him up to his face, “I should have never fucking met you. I should have ignored you from the beginning! So don’t make me feel guilty for all this when all I tried to do was to get away from you but you kept pulling me back!”

Oikawa hesitated for a few seconds, his eyes going from shock to pain, to dullness, “No one was forcing you to spend time with me.” He spoke slowly as if he was only reciting more lines from a stupid play.

Iwaizumi frowned, but not angrily, his eyebrows twisted in pain, “Are… Are you fucking with me right now?”

Oikawa looked at the ground, “I think we should-”

“Yes! You’ve already said it!” He pushed him back, letting go of his clothes, “You fucking said it!” He put his hands on his mouth and closed his eyes, feeling the cascade of tears fall on his cheeks and cross through his fingers. “Why?!” Once more, he didn’t know what he was saying.

Oikawa shrugged, “I think this trouble was unne-”

Iwaizumi wasn’t having any more bullshit. He took a step closer to him, putting his face inches away from Oikawa’s, “Look me in the eye and tell me the fucking truth.”

Seconds, short seconds went by and Oikawa’s eyes reddened. His lips pursed but twisted in pain. He looked away, “I… I think it’s the best solution.”

That was finally some truth. Iwaizumi shook his head, “Best solution? For you? Or for me?”

Oikawa shrugged, “I don’t know… Definitely for you.”

He tilted his head in confusion, “How is this definitely the best solution for me?!” He wanted to yell the words, but the pain of his heart ran through his throat, leaving his voice to become a broken whisper.

Oikawa sniffed and dried his tears with the sleeve of his sweater, “You… You shouldn’t have to deal with the media attention. You don’t like being the center of attention… And I know this is hurting you… The articles, and about your past…” He began to avoid looking back at Iwaizumi once more.

Iwaizumi laughed in agony, he paced around the apartment, running his fingers through his head, “You have to be kidding me… Is this seriously why you’re breaking up with me?!”

Oikawa sighed, making the painful sound of a broken man who hated to hear the truth, “I’m not-”

“Yes, you are!” Iwaizumi yelled this time, his voice cracking with the pain. He stepped towards him and hesitantly put both his hands on Oikawa’s neck, moving one of them up the back of his head and running his fingers through his hair. “Don’t you get it?” He said between tears.

Oikawa looked back at him but remained silent, unable to hold back from crying as well.

“I’m in love with you, Oikawa…” Iwaizumi finally said, feeling his chest liberating itself from the burden of carrying such heavy confession, but also feeling the pain of what the outcome of this could be, “I don’t care about the media, I don’t care if they camp outside my apartment or follow me to work for the rest of my life…” His voice was a whisper once more, too broken and cracked to have its usual tone, “I love you, I’m in love with you, I love you…” He repeated, tears rolling down his cheeks and falling to the ground.

Oikawa shook his head, “I’m sorry Iwaizumi… I’m sorry…” He carefully grabbed Iwaizumi’s hand and moved it away. Without saying another word, he walked to the door and left, leaving Iwaizumi paralyzed once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	14. Replaced Addiction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Please follow me.” He quickly ordered to Iwaizumi, no greeting, not even a decent look into his eyes. He was a ghost, a useless chess piece that had gone rogue to this people, creating trouble for them and now all they needed was to fix that.
> 
> Ah yes… The fixing. His affiliation with Oikawa had left a lot of fixing to be done. He had been asked to go to the agency. Obviously, it wasn’t Oikawa who called; Ushijima was the one who made the request. They didn’t talk much on the phone, he simply mentioned he was needed for a meeting; he would have to sit down with all the people whose jobs he had made even more difficult and hear what he had to do now to make things easy once again. He was going to be told what to say and do in front of the press, to practice his lines and speech, the ones he would be reciting in front of the cameras and microphones for the next days, maybe weeks, until all this went away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello, my beautiful people! 
> 
> Before I go on to tell you all I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I want to let you know I have made a tumblr post with the masterlist for the upcoming fics in this series. Please, please, I would really appreciate if you guys took the time to take a look at it and let me know what you guys think, if you have any ship suggestions, and which ones you'd like to read sooner than later. Any kind of feedback would be VERY appreciated, so if you don't want to reblog this or don't have a tumblr feel free to message me, or leave it in the comments down below. Thank you so much!! 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/post/142128872063/sunshine-park-academy-list
> 
> Now; I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! <333 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

Snow. What a horrible day for the world to choose such beautiful weather. Iwaizumi sat on the back of a fancy car, his mind shuffling through the many thoughts he had gone through the past night, remembering how things went down.

He remembered the way he stood still, paralyzed by Oikawa’s last words as he left his apartment. Seconds, maybe minutes, perhaps even hours later Daichi rushed in, his voice agitated as he asked what happened. He saw Oikawa leaving in tears without saying a word, and seeing Iwaizumi bite his lower lip and try to contain the sobs wasn’t making him any less worried. Iwaizumi shook his head. Once. Twice. As many times as he tried to negate himself what had happened. Oikawa was his precious actor, they were dating even if they never made it official, but they both knew about it. They didn’t break up, no one found out; it all had been a dream.

But that wasn’t true. Oikawa was gone, and with him, he took the remaining hopes he ever had of ever being happy again. He moved his hand up to his chest, holding on to his shirt and feeling the pain of his heart shattering into a million pieces. His body tightening and shaking, he dropped to his knees and unable to contain himself any longer, he began to sob loudly.

Daichi rushed to him, asking over and over what was wrong. A dumb question because he knew so well. He kneeled down in front of Iwaizumi, first putting his hands on his shoulders and then moving them up to his friend’s neck and cheeks, “Come on, Iwaizumi…” He whispered in panic, “Come on…”

Come on what? Iwaizumi focused on this line, trying to figure out what he meant. Isn’t it odd how when you feel you’re dying, when you feel the imminent loss of someone you love, your mind focuses on the silliest thing? Is it a distraction? An odd way of survival? He didn’t know. He only knew the way he needed someone else, he needed Oikawa, his body craved for him and his soul felt as if it was crumbling into small specks of dust, disappearing through the soft wind and leaving the ethereal world to become nothingness.

He moved his hand from his own chest towards Daichi; he looked into his eyes showing the crippling pain he was feeling inside and watched Daichi’s reaction. His friend blinked a few times, trying to think of what to do next. There wasn’t a rational way to proceed. There wasn’t anything he could do for his friend, no way to make him feel better or take away the pain. The only thing he could do was show how much he understood what he was going through, to make him feel supported and accompanied by someone else, human contact, anything to take away the solitude his heart was experiencing. Without hesitation, his friend pulled him closer; hugging him tightly almost as if he was afraid of letting him disappear into dust just like his soul had done seconds before.

“I’m here, Iwaizumi. I’m here, you hear me?” He mumbled, crying and patting his friend’s back.

Iwaizumi hesitated; the warmth of his friend’s hug confused him, why was he crying? Why was any of this happening? Why was Oikawa gone? Oikawa… With soft whimpers, Iwaizumi’s body began to shake once more, tears falling down his cheeks and his lips pursed tightly. He buried his face against his friend’s shoulder, crying as much as he could, letting it all out. His hands grabbed the back of Daichi’s shirt, his fingers gripping themselves tightly on the fabric. His voice muffled into a soft sound that could almost disappear if the sound of his heart breaking was any louder. There wasn’t any way out of pain, no way to feel better, only the possibility to let it all out on his friend shoulder remained.

The door opened bringing Iwaizumi back to reality, a man in a suit stood by the car staring down at Iwaizumi. He hesitated, but exited the black vehicle, looking up at the Shiratorizawa Agency building that stood in front of him. He felt a pinch in his heart; he clenched his fists and jaw trying to make himself stronger than the pain. He walked up the steps towards the front door of the building where another man in a suit waited for him.

“Please follow me.” He quickly ordered to Iwaizumi, no greeting, not even a decent look into his eyes. He was a ghost, a useless chess piece that had gone rogue to this people, creating trouble for them and now all they needed was to fix that.

Ah yes… The fixing. His affiliation with Oikawa had left a lot of fixing to be done. He had been asked to go to the agency. Obviously, it wasn’t Oikawa who called; Ushijima was the one who made the request. They didn’t talk much on the phone, he simply mentioned he was needed for a meeting; he would have to sit down with all the people whose jobs he had made even more difficult and hear what he had to do now to make things easy once again. He was going to be told what to say and do in front of the press, to practice his lines and speech, the ones he would be reciting in front of the cameras and microphones for the next days, maybe weeks, until all this went away.

He followed the man in silence; he could feel people staring at him, recognizing him from the magazines and TV’s. He hated the feeling of being the center of attention, he panicked when he was being watched, but at that moment, he didn’t care. He didn’t feel a thing, he simply wanted to get this over with and hope Oikawa wasn’t going to be present for the meeting. He was the last person he wanted to see.

They got into the elevator, the same one they had gone in for the new year’s eve party, except this time they went up to the top floor. Iwaizumi stood in silence, he looked at one fixed spot of the metal doors, he didn’t need to look around and he was scared of doing so. His mind could only repeat over and over the same trail of thought, a reminder to not feel anything, to stay strong, to remember he didn’t need anyone, to bring back the memories of how content he felt with his life after Terushima and before Oikawa. He didn’t need anyone else to be himself, to be happy. He didn’t need the company or love of another man to feel fulfilled with his life, and that’s what he was going to try to remind himself with every breath, every step and every second of his life.

The doors opened and he was led towards a wide reception area, the walls made of windows that showed to the outside world, even the ones that divided the rooms were made of crystal, showing to the rest of rooms. Iwaizumi could see all around him, the people in their offices looking back at him, piercing his presence with their eyes and whispering to each other.

Yes, he was the man Oikawa had been sleeping with for the past months. Yes, he was on the cover of every magazine and he had been the center of the latest and biggest scandal of the year. He groaned and looked the other side, trying to ignore the soft whispers and mumbles, to enclose himself in his own thoughts and remind himself of the precious memories of his time alone.

As his eyes diverted in the opposite direction, he found himself looking directly into Oikawa’s eyes. He was sitting in a meeting, his back straight and his body tense, his eyes in shock and his mouth wide open as he looked back at Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi flinched, almost forgetting what he had been trying to remind himself. He looked at the ground and repeated the words, he didn’t need anyone. He was okay. He was happy alone. He didn’t need to be loved.

“Iwaizumi.” Ushijima called him from behind, “We are ready for you.”

Suddenly, he had a stomachache. His breathing fastened and his heart pumped blood at a speed that made him think he was about to have a heart attack. He felt like a little kid being brought to the headmaster’s office. He wondered if he was going to be scolded, yelled at, maybe punched, anything, anything but the silence and the pretended niceness everyone had going on.

He turned to Ushijima and without looking at him; he followed him, walking away from Oikawa’s view and towards a different meeting room. Ushijima opened the door for him, leading him into a room full of suited men who sat on an oval table, all of them staring at him and clearing their throats uncomfortably.

Oh yeah, it wasn’t only the fact that he was the main focal point of a scandal, but also a gay scandal involving the son of their bosses. Isn’t that the icing on the cake to make people feel uncomfortable? He sat at the end of the table, his hands on his lap and his eyes focused on the mahogany.

Ushijima sat to his side, “Very well, let’s begin.” His deep and manly voice spoke, interrupting the whispers that swamped the room. “How are we doing with the investigations?”

A man adjusted his glasses, looking through his paperwork, “We are still looking for whoever leaked the information. We have contacted TSK to help us out.”

Ushijima nodded, “And now, regarding Iwaizumi.”

A woman cleared her throat, “I think the main task we should go through at the moment is instructing Iwaizumi on what to do and what to say to get the paparazzi off his back.” Iwaizumi looked up to her. She had black hair and glasses, and somehow she reminded him of Kiyoko, which seemed comforting for what the current situation felt like. She looked back at him and smiled as sweetly as she could.

Ushijima nodded, “Very well. Why don’t you start, then?”

The woman nodded and looked back at Iwaizumi once more, “There’s no other way to go around this. You will have to deny any sort of relationship with Oikawa…”

Iwaizumi nodded slowly, “I know.” He whispered.

She hesitated and then sighed, “But you will have to admit you’re gay.”

He looked around the room confused, why would he do something like that? If he came out publicly to the world, he was going to be targeted for months… His mind clicked.

“You… You want to use me to divert the attention…” He mumbled.

The girl nodded firmly, “There’s no other way. No one will believe anything you say if both of you deny your sexual orientation. One of you has to give away some truth, and it should be you because-”

“Because they already have proof… And I’m not a celebrity.” Iwaizumi finished for her, his eyes lost in the distance as he distractedly watched the patterns of the mahogany that shaped the table in front of him.

Everyone around him waited in silence, clearing their throats every now and then, they were even more uncomfortable. Iwaizumi finally nodded, “Okay.”

She blinked a few times, “O-okay?” She asked with confusion.

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I know this has complicated everyone’s careers, not only Oikawa's. I will do as much as I can to help fix things, even if it means coming out publicly.” His voice was low and his eyes looked around, watching the expression on people’s faces shift. They were looking at him for the first time, watching the human he was and not the scandal he meant for them.

Ushijima turned to him and looked into his eyes as if he wanted to say something, but he simply remained silent. The meeting continued, they taught him the lines he would have to give every now and then, they taught him ways to avoid the press, and they reminded him he might be a target of hate not only for people against homosexuals but also Oikawa’s diehard fans. He was going to have to go through very long and hectic days. Iwaizumi nodded to everything, trying to listen and process his orders. He tried to remind himself of his solitude, his quiet lonely days walking to work, his useless one-night stands that didn’t mean a thing, the fun he had by himself in his apartment… He shouldn’t have put anything of that aside for love. It wasn’t worth it.

Once they were all done talking, they stood up and walked out of the room, wishing their best to Iwaizumi and leaving him alone with Ushijima. The tall man turned to him, still sitting to his side, “Are you alright?” He asked in a cutting manner, yet his words were the softest thing he had ever said to him.

Iwaizumi hesitated as he looked back at him and then nodded, “I’m so-”

Before he could finish apologizing for everything that happened, Ushijima interrupted him. “We are the ones who should be apologizing instead of asking things from you.” He looked down at his papers, “I respect you, and I appreciate your effort to help us out of this situation. I can only understand even more why Oikawa fell for you in spite of my warnings.”

Iwaizumi frowned, “Oikawa didn’t fall for me.”

Ushijima stared at him for a while and then nodded, “Very well… His statement denying the allegations will be done tonight. You’ll do yours tomorrow.” He cleared his throat, “I am sorry, Iwaizumi. You are the collateral damage of my inability to do my job properly.” He stood up and walked to the door, “I’ll have someone take you home.” He said before leaving the room.

Iwaizumi sighed and rubbed his face before grabbing the papers that contained his speech. He walked out of the meeting room and stood by the elevator, waiting for it to arrive.

“Iwaizumi…” He heard a voice calling from behind; a voice that made him close his eyes and exhale as if needles were stuck in his lungs. “Iwaizumi, please…” Slowly he turned around, looking back at the chocolate brown eyes that were staring at him. Oikawa’s face was filled with a mixture of pain and fear, he looked tired and as if he had been crying for long hours. “Can we talk for a minute?” He mumbled.

Iwaizumi hesitated; he wanted to say yes, to believe there was a chance the pain would go away. He wanted to believe in his chance for love once more… But the need for that made him step back, he had to protect himself. “No.” He replied with a deep and cutting voice.

Oikawa flinched before looking at the ground, “Please… I just… I just want to know if you’re okay.”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “I am.” He lied. “Why do you care?”

Oikawa looked back at him with confusion and then sighed, shaking his head, “I just…”

He could feel his soul dying once more, his heart pinching on the inside, almost as if he was carrying around a monitor that showed a flat line and Oikawa was trying to bring him back to life with shock paddles. But Iwaizumi didn’t want that. He had learned he didn’t deserve any love, he was okay being alone, content with his life, happy by himself. He didn’t want to be revived; he wanted to drown listening to the sweet constant sound of the monitor indicating his heart had stopped. “Thank you.” He finally blurted out.

Oikawa looked at him with surprise, opening his mouth to ask why, but his confusion was too big to let him speak a word.

“Thank you… For reminding me who I’ve always been.” Iwaizumi tried to smile, “If there’s something I’ve learned with my past relationships is that I need to look after my own ass a lot better.” He looked down, softly hitting the papers against his palm, “You don’t need to ask me how I am, Oikawa. We are not friends anymore. In fact, I’m not sure we ever were.” He shrugged, “But don’t worry, I will help you get out of this as a goodbye present.” He heard the elevator doors opening behind him, and he took a step back, entering it. “I wish you the best, Oikawa… Take care of Sai.”

Oikawa looked at him, tears forming in his eyes. He extended his hand to grab him, “Iwaizumi wait, I-” The doors closed, separating them. Leaving Iwaizumi to himself in complete silence inside the elevator, thinking about how what he said was the only truth he could ever feel. He wanted to take care of himself, to ignore the world and the necessity to be with someone else, but most importantly, to ignore the way he deeply cared for and loved Oikawa. It was the only way he could survive not having him…

He exited the building and saw the driver waiting for him, he got on the car and went home, but before entering his apartment building he went to the convenience store underneath his apartment. He bought a pack of cigarettes, ending a long strike of years without succumbing to his addiction. He went up to his apartment, changed his clothes getting into something more comfortable, grabbed a pack of beers from his fridge, and walked out to his tiny balcony.

He pushed away the snow and leaned against the edge, resting his elbows and arm on the cold railings. He took out his pack of cigarettes and began to smoke them, one by one, only stopping to take another sip from his drink. His phone buzzed, everyone from the academy texted him, some asked how he was doing and if he was going to watch Oikawa’s press statement, others were simply supporting him. The only calls he received were from Oikawa himself. He constantly called, leaving intervals of at most 20 minutes after not getting through. Iwaizumi kept ignoring the call, sometimes hanging up to make his phone stop vibrating.

He just wanted to be alone. Enjoy his cigarettes and think of nothing but himself. He remembered when he started smoking. He remembered how even after getting beat up and left on the ground, he missed Terushima. He had started smoking to cope with the absence of love. He replaced his addiction for Terushima for an addiction to nicotine. And now he was doing the same with Oikawa.

Night approached, the sky darkened with no trace of stars, the buildings around lightened up. His phone buzzed once more, he looked down at the screen and saw Oikawa's number. He pressed the ignore button.

He looked down at his watch; the statement would start in a few minutes. He sighed and looked around, trying to figure out what to do. Chugging down the rest of his drink, he walked back inside and sat on his couch, turning on the TV. He nervously changed the channels until he found the one that would be emitting Oikawa’s speech.

He waited, his knee moving up and down nervously. He smoked one cigarette, then two, then the third one as he waited for it to start. Why was he doing this to himself? He didn't need to watch something like this. Was being tortured with a break up not enough?

Oikawa appeared on screen, he was walking towards a large table with microphones and bottles of water. Ushijima and Kuroo were with him, they all seemed serious and ready for battle. Oikawa sat in the middle, taking a deep breath and looking around with a soft smile.

“Oikawa is ready to answer any questions now.” Ushijima announced leaning forward on the microphone. As he spoke those words, the press around them went wild, blurting out questions and their voices muffling in unintelligible words. The flashes illuminated the room, blinding everyone around, but Oikawa sat firmly, waiting for a proper question with a smile plastered on his lips.

“Oikawa, how does it feel to get fired because of a scandal?” Someone finally asked above the crowd. What? Fired?!

Oikawa smiled wider as he looked at the reporter, “Yes, I did get fired from the movie I was working on. I did not get fired from the Agency.”

“Will your parents make a statement regarding this scandal?” Someone else asked.

Oikawa shook his head, “I am here to speak for myself, just like any other actor working for the agency.”

“But you are the son of the CEO of said agency and the heir of the position; don’t they have anything to say about this?” A different person asked.

Oikawa chuckled, “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask them.”

“Oikawa, are you here to deny everything? To tell us you never had a romantic affiliation with this Iwaizumi Hajime?” The first person asked.

Oikawa took a deep breath, his smile disappearing from his lips. “No.” He replied.

Everyone around him tensed up, Ushijima stared blankly at the press with his jaw clenched, and Kuroo looked down at the table burying his face in his hands.

“I’m… I’m sorry, no what?” The same person asked.

Silence. Tension. Oikawa turned to Ushijima and Kuroo before looking back at the press, he sighed getting ready for the statement; “I'm here to clear some things up." He cleared his throat, "First, I'd like to confirm I will continue my career as an actor. Secondly, I'm announcing I will also step down from the position as the next CEO for the Shiratorizawa Agency, letting Ushijima Wakatoshi take the position instead, and finally..." He smiled softly, "I want to confirm my romantical involvement with Iwaizumi Hajime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed it! Feel free to let me know what you guys loved, hated, or thought about this chapter! What do you think will happen next? Why do you think Oikawa did what he did? Ahh there's so much going on between this two, my heart breaks as I write each line... 
> 
> Also, yes, I did drop an easter egg with the mention of TSK for an upcoming fic that will be posted soon! 
> 
> I truly hope you guys are enjoying where the chapters are going!!  
> I wish you guys a wonderful weekend, and I'll leave the list here once more <333  
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/post/142128872063/sunshine-park-academy-list
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	15. Gravity Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The streets were empty, and although he would have taken a cab as precaution to make sure no one stopped him to ask if he was the man in the magazines, he knew his heart felt like dying, his body was about to give in and make him crumble to the ground, he felt out of air. Was this a panic attack? He didn't know. But his legs began to take big steps, faster each time until he found himself running through the streets. The tears in his eyes blurred his vision, and his breathing broke in his throat.
> 
> He wanted to run away from Oikawa, hide from him, from everyone. He felt watched, and he was probably being stared at by everyone around him. But he didn't care. He only ran. He ran as fast as he could, his legs burning as the muscles strained themselves. His heart beating faster than ever, and his breathing turning into needles in his throat leaving a taste of blood to replace his saliva.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, guys!   
> Finally the update is here!!~ I hope you enjoy this chapter very much as I loved writing it <333 
> 
> When it comes to songs, I don't really have anything specific but I mostly listened to Abel Korzeniowski! ^^ Feel free to check some of the songs out cause they are heartbreaking 3 
> 
> Two more things before you go on and read the chapter! For those who read Glassed View or Types of Ink, I have a road trip next week to go visit some unis (yay me! hopefully ill have the chance to finally get a degree!). I just wanna say that if I post the chapters on time, it's because I asked a friend to post them for me, so I won't be able to reply to comments until I get back! But I'll do my best to not leave you guys without updates!  
> The second thing is a reminder that you guys can check out the list of upcoming fics, suggest, or talk to me about them! http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/post/142128872063/sunshine-park-academy-list  
> Enjoy!!~~  
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

Iwaizumi took one deep breath. Then a second. And finally a third. He sat on his bed, his eyes lost in the distance as he watched the patterns on the floor. His fingers running through his hair as he desperately tried to think what to do next.

It had been long hours since Oikawa had decided to make his announcement, long hours where his phone buzzed until it ran out of battery, his doorbell rang until the neighbors called the police, and the screams on the streets from the paparazzi and crazy fans didn't let him close his eyes to get a single minute of night rest. Not that he would have done it anyways... He had far too many thoughts swimming through his brain.

At some point, his laptop screen flashed, showing a newly received email from Kiyoko.

"Sunshine Park Academy Official Meeting, 11:00am. BE THERE!"

He sighed and checked his watch. 9 am. Was it a good idea to go? He knew very well what this was about, and truthfully, he didn't feel like talking about feelings or his love-life. He had made up his mind, and he was ready to choose loneliness over pain.

His screen flashed again, this time with an email from Suga. "BE THERE!"

Seconds later, Bokuto, followed by Daichi. Their insistence on making him be present for the meeting only confirmed what he already knew. They wanted to talk about Oikawa's announcement and Iwaizumi's next move. Except he would have to tell them he didn't have a next move, he was ready to give up. In fact, he had already given up. He would spend his last days of Christmas holidays healing his heart and getting over the man he had fallen for.

He didn't feel sad, he didn't feel like crying. He didn't even feel angry at Oikawa as anyone else would expect... No, he didn't care if they asked him to come out publicly to save his ass, or if he had to go through the world confessing he was the crazy kindergarten teacher obsessed with this famous actor and although they had nothing in common, he had always dreamed of being with him... He would make up any story to save him, he would tell any lies to make it up for his suffering, and he would even end his own life if it meant letting Oikawa's continue.

But that was the problem.

That was exactly what made Iwaizumi felt like he was dying. Knowing how no matter how hard things were, how much he was supposed to hate Oikawa and his crappy celebrity world, he was drowning in love. 

Therefore, he felt annoyed. A feeling he hadn't felt in days, maybe weeks... He was so angry at himself, he hated the idea of letting himself fall for someone again. He had betrayed his mind, his body, his entire life. He had left himself be vulnerable, and all for what? 

He looked back at the first Sunshine meeting where he told his story with Terushima, he heard the voices in his head telling him how it didn't have to end up being the same way as it did back then. Except it did. Oikawa had done the exact same thing as Terushima. He had been dropped and left to burn once things got scary, he had been the idiot to follow them around and let himself be used as they pleased.

He looked back at the time he talked about the scandal issue with Oikawa. When he asked if he was sure of what he was doing... Because all of this could end up in a scandal and his career could end. He heard Oikawa's voice reassuring him he was very aware and offended by the question itself. He knew what he was doing... Probably true. He probably knew what he was doing from the beginning... The only one who didn't know was Iwaizumi. He never imagined breaking up with him. Was it even a breakup?

He sighed and shook his head as he closed his eyes. He was rambling, and he felt the pressure in his head, the way his eyes were starting to water again, but he wasn't sad. He didn't want to cry. His body was doing it out of anger, frustration, self-hatred. 

Out of all the outcomes, he never thought of Oikawa leaving him. He never thought of ending up the same way he did years ago with Terushima. He never thought... At all.

He groaned and rocked his body back and forth, his hands on his forehead and his fingers gently pulling his hair in frustration. He hated the feeling of his palms getting wet by his tears, he hated the burning sensation in his throat, the need to break everything around him and to scream as loudly as he could until his lungs gave up and his mouth tasted like blood, making him lose his voice.

Slowly, the sound of his surroundings disappeared. He was alone in his mind, by himself, with no one else to love and no one to feel loved by. 

"I'm okay... I'm okay... I'm okay..." He whispered over and over. He wasn't okay. But worse things had happened in his life, and he wasn't going to let this take the best from him. He was going to be okay at some point, and until then, he was going to ignore how he truly felt on the inside.

One final deep breath. He stood up and walked to his bathroom where he showered, feeling the cold water run through his body and freeze what was left of his heart, trying to metaphorically leave his thoughts in place so Oikawa's name wouldn't spiral down to his deepest core. He got ready for the meeting, he knew if he didn't go, they would probably come for him either way.

As he got dressed, he took a peek out the window. To his surprise, he was alone. He thought the disappearance of the outside noise was his way of channeling what was happening in his life, but as he looked out on the streets, he found them empty. No paparazzi or reporters, no fans with big posters saying "F**K YOU!*, nothing... For a short second, he wondered where they went and why they left. But as he looked at the time and saw it was 10 am, he figured they probably left tired of standing there all night long. The things people do out of hatred...

He sighed and grabbed his coat, walking towards the door. He only took his wallet and keys, no point on carrying his phone around when it had been dead since the night before. Why didn't he charge it? He didn't know. But he guessed he unconsciously feared to receive a phone call from Oikawa.

He opened the front door to his apartment, and his heart sank. His mind froze, and his body burned. His mouth dropped, and his eyes widened. His soul died, and his lungs exhaled the air that was left inside of them.

"Iwaizumi..." Oikawa said softly as he stood in front of him, his eyes looking back at him. 

Was he real? Was he really there? Maybe Iwaizumi did fall asleep and this was all a dream, maybe the pain had been too much and now he found himself hallucinating. 

A heavy thud on his right leg made him look down, Sai was trying to jump into his arms. He had grown so much... His head reached slightly above Iwaizumi's knee, his body was strong and although he still acted like a puppy, he looked threatening and mature.

Unsure of what to do, Iwaizumi kneeled down by him and began to pet his head, caressing his hair and trying to figure out whether this was real or not. He could feel Oikawa's eyes staring at him, watching him with a stupid soft smile. If this was real, Iwaizumi wanted to die. He wanted to run and hide, to leave the country, or maybe even the world. He didn't want to be around him, to hear his voice...

"Iwaizumi, can we talk?" Oikawa spoke again, almost as if he knew what Iwaizumi was thinking, forcing him to face the situation.

Iwaizumi rose to his feet, he closed the door to his apartment before walking past Oikawa without saying a word or looking back at him.

"Iwaizumi, please..." Oikawa's voice broke as he turned around to follow him with his eyes, "Please, don't walk away..." He hesitated, "Iwa-chan..."

Iwaizumi felt his insides boil in anger, he didn't turn around, he didn't look at him. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath. He thought of turning to him and telling him to go away, maybe yell at him for calling him Iwa-chan. He didn't deserve that, he didn't know him. He was no one to him. But that wasn't true, and as much as he tried to deny it, being called something like that by Oikawa himself only brought back to  his mind the good times they spent together, opening the wound in his heart and shattering his brain to pieces. I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay. His new mantra. Without saying a word, he walked away. He climbed down the stairs and exited his apartment building.

The streets were empty, and although he would have taken a cab as precaution to make sure no one stopped him to ask if he was the man in the magazines, he knew his heart felt like dying, his body was about to give in and make him crumble to the ground, he felt out of air. Was this a panic attack? He didn't know. But his legs began to take big steps, faster each time until he found himself running through the streets. The tears in his eyes blurred his vision, and his breathing broke in his throat.

He wanted to run away from Oikawa, hide from him, from everyone. He felt watched, and he was probably being stared at by everyone around him. But he didn't care. He only ran. He ran as fast as he could, his legs burning as the muscles strained themselves. His heart beating faster than ever, and his breathing turning into needles in his throat leaving a taste of blood to replace his saliva.

He stopped. He stopped and looked around, realizing where he was. The street, the light turning red and letting the cars go through. He remembered the morning when he had his coffee in one hand and his phone in the other, the day a clumsy idiot walked into him and dropped his coffee on his shirt...

He shook his head and ran once more, not caring about the red light, or listening to the cars beep loudly as he made them stop inches away from hitting him. He didn't even care if he got hit by a car, he just wanted to run away from Oikawa. Run away from his thoughts and memories, from the pain.

After long minutes of running, he felt tired, his legs were sore and his eyes were no good when it came to knowing where he was going. Suddenly, he tripped over something and fell on the ground face forward, sliding a few inches through the snow.

He felt the frozen white particles hit his body, and just like in the shower, he remained there, hoping it would freeze his soul and what was left of his feelings. Maybe even kill him if his heartbreak didn't do it first.

He lied there, breathing heavily and watching the particles of every exhale turn into soft fog. He looked at his hands, turning white and then blue as the snow froze them inch by inch. A tingling sensation running through his fingers and toes. He would have stood up long ago, he needed warmth, but the need to freeze up his insides was much greater, so he only leaned back, resting his head on the ground and watching the clouds move by, dropping tiny snowflakes to the ground. Maybe with luck, he would be buried in them.

When he was a kid, he would lie on the ground as he was doing right then. He would look up at the sky and think... If gravity ceased to exist, he would fall down. He would fall into the blue sky and disappear from the earth. Back then he feared those thoughts, feeling the vertigo run through his body at the sole thought of falling to his death. He wanted gravity to cease to exist right then. He wanted to fall into the sky and disappear...

Steps in the distance approached him, and suddenly, two warm hands grabbed him by the arms, pulling him up.

"Jesus christ, Iwaizumi! You're frozen!" Kiyoko... Oh, sweet Kiyoko. "What the fuck are you doing out here?!"

Iwaizumi turned to her and then looked around. He was lying right in front of the academy. Kiyoko moved to keep the door opened for him as he watched him with a frown, "I... I needed to lie down." Iwaizumi replied as he stood up.

She sighed and shook his head, "Really? it's freezing right now! Well, come on, let's go warm you up." She turned around and walked into the academy, making sure Iwaizumi followed.

As he walked in behind her, and they entered Bokuto's classroom, he scanned the room. Suga and Daichi sat together on one side of the table, Yachi was sitting in front of them, to her side an empty space that clearly belonged to Kiyoko.

Iwaizumi took his coat off and shook some of the snow from his clothes, "Hey, guys. I didn't know Yachi was coming."

She immediately blushed and turned to Kiyoko, "I told you it wasn't a good idea..." She mumbled.

Iwaizumi turned to her with wide eyes, "Oh no! I didn't mean it in that way, I'm glad you're here, after all, you're part of the family now." He tried to smile. Yachi looked down at the table with a soft smile, but before she could say anything, the bell above the entrance door rang.

"Hey hey hey!" Bokuto loudly greeted them as he entered the room, "Oh! Yacchan!" he carefully patted her head as he would do with any of his students and made her blush even more.

Daichi and Suga began to giggle, but soon their laughter diminished as a second person entered the room behind Bokuto. A black haired man with a beautiful face, and skin covered in ink. His clothes were Bokuto's, obvious by how big they looked on him. He looked around in silence and then turned to Bokuto.

"Ah yes..." Bokuto mumbled, "This is Akaashi."

Akaashi nodded to them in a form of greeting. Suga patted the place between them and Kiyoko for him to sit. With hesitation and only after Bokuto sat, Akaashi did as Suga said and sat next to him. Like a little kid, Suga began to examine and study Akaashi's tattoos, running his eyes and scanning every inch of skin that was visible for him. 

Iwaizumi sat on the other side, facing his friend and his tattooed man, "So... What is this about?" He asked even though he knew the answer.

Everyone turned to him with confusion in their eyes. Daichi cleared his throat and spoke for them, "Iwaizumi, did you not see the press release?"

Iwaizumi hesitated, but then nodded, "I did. So what?"

They all looked at each other and sighed, "Don't you think we have to talk about... You know, what happened? And what you're going to do?"

Iwaizumi shrugged, "Why are you guys including yourselves in this?"

They remained silent for a while until Kiyoko spoke while she took out her tablet, "Because we know you, and we know you're an idiot..."

"Thanks." He replied with indifference. No, not indifference. Annoyance. He felt the anger inside of him once more, what were these people to force him to talk about his private life? Yes, they were his friends, his co-workers, but who did they think they were to insult him? to belittle the things he was going through and to make this about them?! They weren't there when Terushima broke him into pieces, they weren't there when Oikawa made him fall in love with him, and they weren't there for the meeting where they asked him to publicly out himself in order to save the man that had broken his heart for the second time in his life.

They didn't have the right, and it all angered him a thousand more times. He looked around the room and shook his head before taking a deep breath and knowing he was about to say something stupid. "Okay, well how about I also butt into your private lives? Come on! Tell me everything!" He began to raise his voice. "How about we start with you, Bokuto?! I see you finally talk to the man that you've been talking about for months!" He glared at Bokuto and Akaashi, the first one blushed and looked down while the other one looked at Iwaizumi with indifference, "Or better yet! How about you, Daichi?! Why don't you tell us how it is going between you and Yui?! Does she know you fucked the man sitting next to you?!" He blurted out the words, they fell out of his mouth like a cascade of daggers, and instead of feeling the relief he seemed to be hoping for, the pain and fear inside his body only increased. His friends stared at him in silence, except for Suga. Suga was looking down at the table, his arms crossed and his lips pursed.

Tension. Fear. Pain. Anger. And the silence was broken by the sigh that escaped Daichi's lungs.

"To be honest, we've been wanting to tell you guys, but we figured it wasn't a good idea... We didn't want to hurt your feelings or make things worse by rubbing it in, but yes... Yui knows, and we broke up before summer... Suga and I wanted to take things slow, and I am happy to say we are together now. We started dating not long ago but we didn't want to tell anyone until we knew we were happy with how things were going." He smiled and held Suga's hand, caressing it with his fingers.

Suga looked up and smiled as well, "I'm sorry, Iwaizumi, you're right... We've only been talking about your love-life and pressuring you into telling us how things are on your side, without sharing anything about us..."

Iwaizumi stared at them in confusion, why were they smiling? Why were they sharing? They were supposed to feel hurt and yell at him, to tell him he was an asshole...

"Well... We can tell you about us too!" Bokuto spoke eagerly, "We are together, except we are not, Akaashi refuses to love me back!" He pouted watching the man who sat in silence to his side. "He's also an ex-yakuza and we are kinda dealing with that at the moment..."

"WHAT?!" Kiyoko turned to them, "You've brought a yakuza to my academy?! Children study here, Bokuto! What if they come for him with guns!"

Bokuto shook his head, "Ex-Yakuza, and I already said we are dealing with that."

"Wait wait, is that why you asked me about the numbers?!" Iwaizumi spoke this time, forgetting everything about his anger or the things he had said. He remembered the day Bokuto came to him asking about three random numbers, 893. Iwaizumi had told him they were the origin for the name 'yakuza' and Bokuto had gotten pretty weird after that.

Bokuto nodded slowly and pointed at Akaashi who was moving the neck of his shirt down to reveal the numbers tattooed on his neck.

"That's so hot..." Suga said with a grin, making Akaashi look down and frown as his cheeks turned slightly pink.

"Uhm..." Yachi mumbled with a shaky voice, "Well... I don't really have much of a personal life to share... I'm always working... But I can tell you that my two employees? Ukai and Takeda? They are together."

They looked at her and Bokuto slammed his hands on the table, "Wait wait wait... They also like men?!" He looked around in hesitation, "Is there anyone in this school who doesn't like men?!"

Slowly and without saying a word, Kiyoko and Yachi began to rise their hands.

"There isn't a single straight person working in this academy?!" Daichi asked in amusement.

Suga turned to him and tilted his head, "I'm pretty sure the male janitor has a wife... Does he count?"

Kiyoko shook her head, " I don't sign his checks, the government does." 

The man next to Bokuto laughed loudly, making everyone turn to him, "Oh wow, you missed the chance to name this Rainbow Park Academy, then..." Akaashi spoke for the first time, leaving everyone to stare at him in shock at both how beautiful he looked when he laughed, and also how soft and quiet his voice sounded in comparison to how tough and scary he looked.

They all began to laugh as well, and slowly the mood in the room began to shift. Iwaizumi's anger began to slowly fade away and instead he simply felt bad for having said the things he said.

"Iwaizumi... Don't you think maybe Oikawa was trying to make up for what he did?" Daichi finally said, going back to the main subject of the meeting.

Iwaizumi hesitated, "I don't know... I don't want to know. I don't even know what to make out of all of this. I've had reporters and crazy angry fans at my doorstep all night..." He rubbed his face.

Kiyoko sighed, "Well... It seems Oikawa had another press conference this morning to address what he said last night, but no one can find him." That explained why the streets were empty when he went out, they all had gone to the press conference.

Iwaizumi tilted his head, "Yeah... I kinda left him standing at my apartment door?"

They all looked back at him in surprise, "Oikawa? He went to talk to you?!" Bokuto asked.

Iwaizumi shrugged, "He asked if we could talk, but I just left..."

"Iwaizumi, come on... You gotta talk to him." Daichi said in a low voice, "I know it's tough, but he probably wants to apologize for fucking up..."

Iwaizumi shook his head, "I don't care, I've made up my mind and I want this to go away, to go back to my normal life."

"Your normal life?" Daichi asked in confusion, "Iwaizumi, you were miserable, you were always pissed off."

He shrugged, "I wasn't getting hurt, so I don't care."

"That's bullshit!" Bokuto said angrily, "We all know you cared about him, you made your choice aware of the risks!"

Iwaizumi turned to him, "Of course I cared! That doesn't mean I owe him the chance to explain why he decided to break up with me!"

"I don't think he decided anything! I think he either was forced to break up with you, or he freaked out!" Bokuto yelled back, "Wouldn't you be?!"

Iwaizumi frowned, "I was in the same place as he was! I would have never betrayed him and broken up with him!"

"Your situation is nowhere near the same as his!" Bokuto snapped, "Talk about betrayal when you're the one ready to give up after one mistake!"

"I haven't-!" Iwaizumi began, ready to attack back, but Yachi's low voice interrupted the argument.

"I'm sorry, but..." She hesitated as they all turned to look at her, "I just... I just think you are both right..." She sighed, "I think Iwaizumi feels betrayed because he was being thrown under the bus with this... But Iwaizumi, you're also not getting yourself in Oikawa's shoes..." She cleared her throat, "What I'm trying to say is... Your co-workers and boss know you're gay, and we don't care. We've even pointed out no one in your work environment is straight... Your job is not on the line, and although we will lose one or two clients because of this, we don't care and we support you. But Oikawa is not running with the same luck, he got fired from a major production, the news broke and everyone was talking about him, in good and bad ways. His co-workers aren't gay, or at least not most of them, and they probably didn't even know he was. He is the son of the CEO and had a lot of weight on his shoulders... Wouldn't you be a little bit freaked out if it was you?"

Akaashi cleared his throat, "I'm with Iwaizumi in this. He doesn't owe an explanation, and if he doesn't want to put up with this or risk his feelings any longer, he doesn't have to. He has a choice. And he can choose to walk away."

They all remained silent, Iwaizumi looked down at the table crossed his arms, letting out a big sigh.

"Iwaizumi, I think... I think you're forgetting that even though this feels like it felt with Terushima, you know he isn't like him..." Suga said with a low voice, "The pain of a broken heart is always the same, even if it's done in different ways or by different people... Don't let the anger blind you."

 

\----

 

Iwaizumi made his way home, this time sitting on the back of a cab. The front of his building was still empty, probably because people were still looking for Oikawa and waiting for the delayed press release to start.

With slow steps, he went up the stairs until he reached his apartment door. Oikawa sat next to it, toying with Sai who jumped up and down trying to bite his hand. 

As Iwaizumi stepped forward towards his door, he looked up to him and widened his eyes, "Iwaizumi, wait, can we-"

Iwaizumi opened the door and entered his apartment, turning around and slamming it shut on Oikawa's face.

He took off his coat began to make himself lunch. Silence. The bubbling water boiled in the pot and Iwaizumi stared at it, spacing out and thinking what Yachi and Akaashi had said at the meeting. Maybe she was right. Maybe Oikawa had broken up with him out of a simple freak out. But so what? Akaashi was also right. A part of his brain didn't want to hear any of Oikawa's explanations, it wasn't about the reason behind the break-up, it wasn't about Oikawa or forgiveness. It was about the pain and the need to make it go away. He didn't want to risk anything anymore, he didn't want to be in that situation ever again, and he didn't want to find himself lying on the ground crying senselessly with broken bones and waiting for a friend to take him to the hospital. Oikawa would never do that, but he did break his heart, and Iwaizumi couldn't handle any more of that.

He sat in his living room, eating in silence. Knowing. Knowing Oikawa was still sitting outside, waiting for Iwaizumi to give him the chance to speak. Was he never going to leave? Iwaizumi sighed and turned on the TV, trying to distract himself.

Hours passed and he would groan or sigh every once in a while, still knowing Oikawa was sitting outside.

7pm... He rose to his feet and walked to the door. He opened it and looked down at where Oikawa was sitting.

"Iwaizumi!" Oikawa said with a soft smile, but Iwaizumi didn't reply. Instead, he opened the door wide enough to let Sai in, and then closed it back on Oikawa's face, leaving him outside.

He took off the dog's leash and patted him a few times before filling his bowl with his food. The dog rushed to it and began to eat, probably starving after sitting there all day long.

Iwaizumi sat on the couch once more. He looked at his hands and observed every line and pore in his skin, except he wasn't seeing any of that. He was seeing Oikawa. Thinking of what to do next, what to say or not to say. Should he wait until he gave up and left? That was probably the best idea... Or so the part of his brain that told him to run from him said.

He leaned back on the couch and watched the TV, listening to the news. Almost every channel talked about Oikawa. Playing and replaying his confession from the night before. They all discussed how no one could find him, had he gone missing? had he gone insane? Had the agency fired him and therefore he had left the country? Crazy theories swarmed the channels, the more they came up with, the less sense they made. Iwaizumi chuckled at every one of them, thinking that only if they bothered to look in his building...

Sai's loud yawn brought him back to reality. 12am... Iwaizumi sighed and walked towards his room, pulling down the sheets from his bed and letting Sai jump on it, lying down and ready to fall asleep.

Iwaizumi changed into his pajamas and sat next to the dog, caressing his short hair and looking into his eyes.

Sai looked back at him and made a soft whimper as he looked back at the side of the bed where Oikawa always slept in with sad eyes, he rested his head on Iwaizumi's knee and cried once more.

They say the dog always ends up resembling their owner... And maybe it was because of the reminder of Oikawa Sai meant for Iwaizumi, or maybe the saying was true... But it was impossible to not look into the rottweillers eyes and not think of Oikawa...

"I know... I know..." Iwaizumi mumbled to him and sighed before standing up.

With slow steps, he walked towards the front door and opened it. The hallway was cold, cold enough to make Iwaizumi shiver and watch his warm breath freeze as it exited his lips. He looked down at the floor and found Oikawa.

He was asleep, lying on the cold marble floor, his arms wrapped around his torso trying to stay warm and his body gently shivering in his sleep. He probably hadn't slept in a long time either... 

Iwaizumi sighed and walked to him, crouching to his side. Slowly and trying to not wake him up, he moved one arm under Oikawa's legs, and the other behind his neck, lifting him up and taking him inside the house.

With slow steps, he walked into the room and put him down on the open side of the bed. He took his shoes off and covered him with the sheets, letting Sai lie next to him.

"I guess I'll listen to you for now..." Iwaizumi whispered to the rottweiler before walking to the living room and lying on the couch, ready to get some rest for the first time in days.

As he fell asleep, his mind wondered what to do. Who was right? Who had the better option? Yachi with her forgiveness? Or Akaashi by walking away? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fasdfkajsdhf IwaOi breaks my heart I swear! Feel free to let me know in the comments down below what you guys loved, hated, or thought about this chapter! What do you think Iwaizumi will do? 
> 
> Also, thank you so much for the support guys, I love writing this series a lot and it's definitely helping me get through some stuff that's been going on in my life. Your feedback and support seriously makes my life a lot better. Please know I love you all and you mean the world to me! <3333 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	16. Choices Already Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Go home, Oikawa. I have no interest in talking to you…” He gulped as he felt the pain Oikawa was going to experience with what he was going to say next, “…Don’t make me go through this unnecessary hassle.”
> 
> Oikawa’s lungs exhaled whatever air remained in them. Hearing the same words he had used to break up with Iwaizumi… Hearing his own tone of voice through the words… He stepped back looking down for a second, but then he looked back up at him, “So what? You’re just going to walk away?”
> 
> Iwaizumi clenched his fists, his entire body tensed and his heartbeat fastening as the ball of anger grew bigger and bigger, “Walk away?” He chuckled, “There’s nothing to walk away from.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dearies!~   
> Well here you have the next chapter <333 I hope you enjoy it and you like what happens here... It was very hard to write this and I gotta admit not only in the sense that I found myself crying, but also because there just wasn't any other way to do this... So I really hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> The song I have for this chapter is Rihanna - Stay ft. Mikky Ekko (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF8BRvqGCNs) 
> 
> Also, don't forget to check out the list of upcoming fics in the series, or the already ongoing ones! http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/post/142128872063/sunshine-park-academy-list  
> Have a wonderful weekend <333  
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

Iwaizumi opened his eyes. He was facing the back of the couch, his arms wrapped around the pillow and his body tense under the blankets. He checked his watch; it was very early in the morning… Too early… He sighed and rubbed his eyes, turning around to face his living room.

Oikawa…

He was sitting on the individual sofa next to him, his knees against his chest as his arms hugged them tightly. His chin rested on them, and his hair messy. His observant eyes watched Iwaizumi, bags underneath making him look like a man who had barely slept, and if he did, it wasn’t a good sleep.

Iwaizumi remained still, lying down, watching him back. Long, long minutes passed, neither of them moving, simply looking into each other’s eyes… A slow waltz, a silent conversation where neither of them dared to speak out loud… _I miss you, I love you, please come back, you’re beautiful, I need you, life is meaningless without you_ … Unspoken words, lines they didn’t dare to exchange.

“Iwaizumi…” Oikawa mumbled, his voice breaking into his throat, leaving traces of a sad melody.

Iwaizumi didn’t answer, he simply looked away. If he was about to say any of those things, he didn’t wish to hear them. He wasn’t going to enter the dance of dizziness, the one he abhorred the most. Confusion, tears, repressed feelings… They were the only outcome of conversations like that.

He sat up and rubbed his face, sighing deeply before standing up and walking to the kitchen. He had to find a way to kick him out, a way to make him leave his apartment, his life, his entire being… A way to make the memories go away and pretend as if he never existed.

“Iwa-chan…” Oikawa mumbled with a low voice, watching him with fear in his eyes. Iwaizumi groaned and poured himself some boiling coffee. _Too early, too fucking early_. Why did he let him in? Why was he so weak in the eyes of a dog that he caved in?

He didn’t reply and instead stirred his coffee in silence, spacing out and watching the patterns on the wall.

He reached out for his laptop to read the news and check his emails. Nothing from work, they were probably trying to give him time to take things slow.

“Iwa-chan, please…” Oikawa’s voice drummed into Iwaizumi’s ears like the melody of a broken down orchestra. The sound of out of tune instruments, an unmatched combination of players, the lack of harmony between the musicians and the audience… The sound, every note, every word rang through Iwaizumi’s heart leaving a pinching pain like a soft dagger he was sliding through his own chest.

Ironic, not wishing to be hurt by someone else and therefore choosing to inflict the pain himself… Like a man who doesn’t wish to let people take one of his limbs and in order to avoid a fight he would rather cut it off himself… That’s right, he had to cut Oikawa off from his life, to protect himself, to heal his wounds and recover from the small chance, the glimpse of happiness he had seen through the past months… He would rather be a grumpy and unhappy man than having to deal with this pain one more time.

“Please…” His voice repeated, slow steps approaching him from behind and the soft sound of fabric denoting the movements of an arm that almost touched Iwaizumi’s back but stopped in hesitation, “Please… Talk to me…”

He didn’t turn around, he couldn’t. He felt if his eyes fell on Oikawa’s, he would be doomed… Oikawa was a rose in a thorny field… A man with his own kingdom to protect, even if it was at the cost of love… 

Iwaizumi had never been a king himself; he was nothing but just another commoner… Yet he also wanted to protect his own kingdom, he was ready to fight for his own heart. He would build up walls and leave thorns of his own scattered around if he had to.

He took a deep breath as he poured the untouched coffee down the drain, without looking back and stepping away towards his room, he spoke back to him for the first time, “Leave.” He said in a cutting manner, harshly and loudly, yet silent enough to not show any emotion.

He walked into his room and began to search through his closet, finding the appropriate clothes to wear. Oikawa followed him after a while, his face pale and confused. He was probably expecting Iwaizumi to give in and forgive him, but just because he took him in the previous night didn’t mean he was going to give him the chance to say anything at all.

“What?... Why?...” He mumbled, his incredulity marked into his voice as he looked around, watching Iwaizumi carelessly shuffle through his clothes, “…Is this how it all ends?”

Iwaizumi clenched his jaw feeling the ball of anger growing inside of him. He had been so angry, so grumpy once more… It all grew one step bigger with those words… But he sighed and shook his head, chuckling with irony and grabbing his clothes. He put them on the bed and began to take off his own to get dressed.

“Iwaizumi, for fucks sake, say something!” Oikawa reproached, the anxiety of not getting a reply, the uncertainty of the situation, and the pain of the outcome of their relationship caused tears to gather in his eyes and his voice to shake, his eyes wide as he looked at the man in front of him, his hands shaking as they remained extended to his side, opened in a welcoming manner and hoping for Iwaizumi’s voice to speak back.

Iwaizumi sighed, buttoning his shirt up, “I already did. Leave.” He repeated, his eyes calmed and his heart dying inside. His breathing even yet too slow to be a normal pace… He didn’t feel anxiety, he didn’t feel uncertainty, he just felt the pain of his feelings dying as he continuously stabbed them on the inside in a way to get rid of them.

“No!” Oikawa’s voice resounded in the room loud enough to even make Sai look up and whimper in confusion as to what was going on, “No!” He repeated again, looking around with a face of someone who’s trying to convince themselves of what they are saying, “I’m not going anywhere!”

Iwaizumi nodded as he finished getting dressed, “You are. Go home.” He turned around and began to walk away.

In the heat of the moment, Oikawa grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him back. Without missing a beat, Iwaizumi slapped his hand away and avoided turning around, his eyes looking away from Oikawa’s face and his body half turned.

“Go home, Oikawa. I have no interest in talking to you…” He gulped as he felt the pain Oikawa was going to experience with what he was going to say next, “…Don’t make me go through this unnecessary hassle.”

Oikawa’s lungs exhaled whatever air remained in them. Hearing the same words he had used to break up with Iwaizumi… Hearing his own tone of voice through the words… He stepped back looking down for a second, but then he looked back up at him, “So what? You’re just going to walk away?”

Iwaizumi clenched his fists, his entire body tensed and his heartbeat fastening as the ball of anger grew bigger and bigger, “Walk away?” He chuckled, “There’s nothing to walk away from.”

“Yes, there is! You’re walking away from me! You are leaving me behind! You are not even giving me the benefit of explaining myself! I deserve that much!” Oikawa’s voice rose with each word like a rollercoaster that climbed up and up through the tracks, every syllable sounded like the clicking of each step the train took to go further up, every breath sounded like those of the passengers who know what’s coming up next…

Silence… The train reached the top… Letting Iwaizumi feel the ball of rage pour the anger and unspoken thoughts all around his brain. A mixture of feelings, a rushed choice… Would he chuckle and walk away? Would he silently step aside and ask him to leave again? Or would he snap?

And Iwaizumi snapped.

He let go, setting his tongue and tense body loose, he shut down the voice in his head that told him what a bad idea this was, and he stepped forward, grabbing Oikawa by the collar and pushing him against the wall, hitting his head and back against it and making a thudding sound.

Oikawa didn’t dare to make a sound of pain, he didn’t dare to look away from Iwaizumi’s eyes; after all, they were looking back at him for the first time since everything went down. He sighed with a mixture of fear and relief, almost as if he feared this reaction, yet at the same time, he was glad he obtained any reaction at all.

Iwaizumi stared into his eyes, a frown across his forehead and his fists balled around Oikawa’s collar, “Don’t you, ever, fucking dare tell me what you think you deserve or you don’t deserve.” His voice vibrated through his chest and throat, his tone so deep it almost hurt him to speak the words out, “I don’t owe you or the entire world a damn thing. I can walk away from you or anyone if I fucking want to, and that’s what YOU did anyways.”

_Akaashi was right. Akaashi was right. Akaashi was right. Akaashi was right._

He had to be, otherwise, Iwaizumi wouldn’t feel so angry, he wouldn’t feel so used and so not in the mood to give anyone the chance to speak up. He didn’t want to talk about anything at all and he just wanted everything to go away.

Oikawa looked down, his head hung on his shoulders and his back against the wall as Iwaizumi’s hand continued to push him back. His shoulders began to shake, his chocolate hair shuffling with the movements, and just as Iwaizumi began to wonder if he was laughing, he felt a cold drop fall on his wrist, then a second, then a third.

He was seeing the result of his own thorny walls; he was watching his king crumble into pieces at the end of his own sword. He hesitated, he moved his hand back and watched him step forward and then back against the wall, but never looking up.

“…L-leave.” He mumbled, his own voice becoming a whisper. He couldn’t take any of this, he couldn’t handle seeing him like this when he knew he was the cause of his tears… But he also couldn’t stand the thought of being hurt again. He had to protect himself, Akaashi was right.

“Why?” Oikawa’s voice sounded nasal, he sniffed a few times before looking up. His eyes were red and drowned in pain, his lips shaking and his chest moving up and down as he breathed nervously, “Why do you want me to leave?”

Iwaizumi quickly looked away, fearing to have his walls crumble down at the sight of Oikawa’s broken face. “You have no reason to be here.”

Oikawa shook his head, “I do! I am here for you… For us…”

Iwaizumi sighed, a cutting sound as the air exited his lungs, “There is no us. You’ve said it yourself.”

“STOP IT! Okay?!” Oikawa yelled moving his hand aside to catch his attention and in a form of protest, “I know what I’ve said! I know the awful things I’ve said!” He stepped forward; walking towards Iwaizumi and making him step back. “I know what I’ve said…” He mumbled between tears as he looked down at him, “and I didn’t mean any of it… I didn’t… I didn’t mean a single word.”

 Iwaizumi looked up at him in surprise, his heart hesitating along with his breathing, “You still said those words. I don’t care what you have to say because-”

“No! Cut it out, Iwaizumi!” Oikawa blurted out as he grabbed Iwaizumi’s hands, “Please… Please, let me explain…”

Iwaizumi looked into his eyes, he watched the way the tears fell from his eyelashes as he blinked, the redness of his eyes increased as the chocolate iris stared back at him, the way his lips trembled with his uneven breathing, knowing the fate of whatever they had depended on Iwaizumi’s next answer…

Akaashi… Or Yachi…

Walking away… Or Listening…

He didn’t know, he couldn’t choose, he couldn’t think which person was right or what his heart was telling him anymore. He felt the pain of the sight in front of him, he felt the slight hope at Oikawa’s attempt to clear things up, but he also felt the fear of the imminent reminder of how badly things could turn out. This was too much.

He felt the way his heart screamed the words, the way it screamed Yachi’s name and asked to listen to whatever Oikawa had to say. He felt the invisible force pulling him forward and attempting to move his lips to speak out the words. _Go on, talk, tell me everything, tell me you love me, tell me I’m yours, tell me you’re mine…_

He felt his brain squeezing out the remaining thoughts he had on Oikawa. He heard his inner voice telling him to walk away, to not hear a word, to not believe a thing he was saying. He was falling into the same horrible trap once again, he was setting fire to his own life, and giving up to the safety of his loneliness and walking towards the thorny rose field love was all about. _Go away, I regret loving you, we were never a thing, I can never forgive you…_

One thing or the other. Akaashi or Yachi. Forgive or walk away. His brain or his heart. Safety and loneliness or love and pain. He couldn’t choose. He didn’t know what to choose, what to think, what to feel, what to see or listen to… He was never good at this stuff; he had never been good at socializing or making friends or being like everyone else. He was good at his job, he was good at keeping up with short conversations and small talk, but he had never ever been good at analyzing what to do with his own personal life or to figure out what to do with other people… So he remained silent, waiting for Oikawa to interpret whatever he wanted out of his silence.

Oikawa hesitated, watching Iwaizumi’s reaction… And then sighed deeply and closed his eyes in relief, moving Iwaizumi’s hand up to his chest, making him feel the fast heartbeat slowing down for short moments.

“I…” He began, his voice shaking and low as he searched through his collection of words to form a proper sentence. He probably didn’t expect Iwaizumi to remain silent; he was probably ready to give more reasons to let him speak instead of actually preparing his speech, his explanation. But he sighed again and then shook his head, “I don’t think… I don’t think I deserve any forgiveness.”

Iwaizumi frowned for a second, his mind shuffling through the many ideas and conclusions he could draw from what he just heard. He didn’t think he…?

“I mean…” Oikawa continued, “I know, as you said… I can’t tell you what I deserve or don’t deserve… But personally, I think I don’t deserve it.” He cleared his throat, “I…” He looked around, his eyes resembled those of someone who was lost and didn’t know where to begin or what to say at all. But then Oikawa looked back into Iwaizumi’s eyes and took a deep breath, almost as if he had found the words he had been searching for all along… “I panicked… And I don’t think anyone that deserves your love should be this weak. I thought I had everything under control, I thought I was aware of the consequences, that I was ready to be attacked or questioned and even dragged around by everyone around me if they found out… And I was, I was ready, I knew what they would say to me or about me, I knew who I was going to be seen as in the magazines, on TV or even by my family even though they always knew I liked men… But…” He looked down, letting a cascade of tears fall from his eyes, “I wasn’t ready for what they were doing to you…” His voice cracked a painful sound that made Iwaizumi’s heart crumble and shut off in a way it had never done before. “I…” He shook his head while giving in to the sobbing sounds he had been trying to repress, “I couldn’t stand the things they were writing about you, about your past… You never liked being the center of attention, you always hated coming to the parties and gatherings I dragged you to…”

“I told you I didn’t mind going to those if it meant doing it for you…” Iwaizumi’s voice resounded in the short space they had between them, surprising both Oikawa and Iwaizumi himself.

Oikawa looked up to him and nodded slowly, biting his lower lip and then frowning as he felt the way his face was giving in to the pain, “But you did mind… I know you did, and you know you did… And I minded as well… I couldn’t stand the things they were saying, I realized I had put you under fire, you were collateral damage…”

Iwaizumi remembered Ushijima’s words…   _You are the collateral damage of my inability to do my job properly…_

“I… I didn’t think you would mind if I left…” Oikawa continued, making Iwaizumi feel even more surprised. “I thought… I thought you would find this overwhelming or annoying, I thought you would hate it or hate me for making you go through this…”

“What…?” Iwaizumi mumbled in confusion, “You thought I wouldn’t mind?”

Oikawa shrugged, his movements and whole presence making him look like a little kid who explained how stupid his idea had been and only now realized how wrong he was, “You were always asking to take it slow, even from the beginning you just wouldn’t pay attention to me…” He chuckled between tears, “I felt that if I had been trying to convince you to be with me through all this time… Now there was no way I could…”

Iwaizumi frowned and looked around, “Convince me?”

Oikawa nodded, “I know you didn’t like me, and I know you wanted to take it slow to get to know me, to see if you liked me… And you were finally starting to get used to me, you were finally opening up and I was finally feeling hopeful… But I knew whatever progress I made between us, it would be obliterated by what the media was doing to you…”

Iwaizumi hesitated, and suddenly he broke into laughter, covering his mouth and looking at him in disbelief, “You thought you… You thought I…”

Oikawa looked at him in surprise, “…What?”

Iwaizumi continued to laugh, why was he laughing? What was happening? He only continued to laugh and laugh, his hands covering his mouth first and then moving up to his face. He stepped aside and walked around the living room… Laughing, trying to figure out why, trying to figure out what was happening. And then he stopped. In a sudden click, his emotions switched, almost as if it finally sank in.

The laughter disappeared and gave into silence. Oikawa watched him in the same amount of quietness, unsure of what was happening or what to do. Iwaizumi remained still, his hands covering his face. He didn’t want to be seen, he didn’t want to see. All he could feel were the tears gathering in his palms. His laughter had turned into the most horrible and choking sobbing he had ever gone through.

He bent over, not moving his hands and trying to cry as silently as possible. He crouched, putting his elbows on his knees and his hands stuck to his face, his fingers pressed against his skin and his palms forming small pools of salty tears that were falling from his eyes like a terrible and painful cascade.

Long minutes passed, Oikawa stepped forward, almost trying to remind Iwaizumi of the reality that surrounded him. But Iwaizumi couldn’t move, he was frozen in place, his hands still covering his emotions and his entire body shaking as he tried to hide away. He shook his head, he shook it for the longest time, refusing to believe what Oikawa had just told him.

“Iwaizumi?” Oikawa asked with hesitation as he kneeled in front of him, “Iwaizumi… Why are you laughing?” He asked with confusion.

But Iwaizumi continued to shake his head, “You stupid idiot… You stupid, stupid fucking idiot…” His voice muffled by his hands and cracked by his tears, “You stupid…” He whispered, unable to finish his sentence as he felt the ball of pain gathering in his throat from holding back the sobs.

“…Me…?” Oikawa mumbled with disbelief, “…Why?”

Finally, Iwaizumi moved his hand, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him closer, “You had no right! You had no right to decide for me or to act on fucking assumptions!”

“I know...” Oikawa mumbled with his body loose at Iwaizumi’s hand, “I know…”

“THEN WHY?!” Iwaizumi yelled, shaking him around.

Oikawa looked into his eyes, “Because I didn’t know… I just didn’t know… I panicked; I thought my assumptions were right… I was scared… I was scared of getting hurt…” He replied between sobs.

And then Iwaizumi realized. Oikawa had assumed Iwaizumi didn’t care about him; that his way of being cold and protective of himself was because he had to be convinced into liking him… Iwaizumi assumed Oikawa was strong and careless, that he had never been hurt before and there was no way he could ever imagine the pain of having a broken heart…

“You were scared of getting hurt?” Iwaizumi whispered.

Oikawa nodded with tears strolling down his face, “Well of course I was… I liked you so much… And you were always avoiding me, always ignoring me and being so cool around me… How was I supposed to think you were interested in me?”

Iwaizumi watched him and chuckled in tears, “I told you I liked you… I wouldn’t have spent time with you if I didn’t want to, you said it yourself; no one was forcing me to be with you or talk to you…”

Oikawa shrugged, “I already said I didn’t mean any of that… I always worked to convince you into spending time with me…”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “I already wanted to…” He cleaned his tears with the sleeve of his shirt, a useless attempt to dry up his face even though more tears were to come, “But you left… You still left… Even when I told you I loved you…”

Oikawa looked down, “I… I panicked about that too… I went from thinking you didn’t care about me in the slightest… To being told something like that…” He chuckled, “I didn’t know what to do with that, I… I felt so lost, I felt like all the things I had rationalized and believed in were suddenly gone… And I left because I didn’t know what else to do… But then I got home and I saw your things… I saw your clothes in my closet and your toothbrush in the bathroom… I spent the night crying like an idiot, hugging one of your shirts.”

Both of them laughed a bit, but Iwaizumi couldn’t judge him. He had done the same, and in fact in that very moment both of them looked like complete idiots, kneeling on the ground facing each other and endlessly crying.

“I tried talking to you in the agency… But I didn’t know how or where to begin, and you looked so angry… I thought maybe you had realized you were wrong and you didn’t love me…” Oikawa continued.

Iwaizumi shook his head and closed his eyes, “Please… Please just… You need to stop assuming things, you’re horrible at that…”

Oikawa smiled and nodded, “I know… But the things you said… And then you left… I could feel so much pain running through my body; I just ran to the bathroom and started throwing up. There was so much anxiety and panic in my brain, I couldn’t process any of it… And the sole idea of going in front of all those reporters and denying what I already knew… I couldn’t cope with it.” He shrugged, “I spent the day calling you, I wanted to tell you the truth, I wanted to tell you all this but you weren’t picking up… And I was planning on letting you go, I thought of giving up, but then I went in front of those cameras and… And I just couldn’t.” He chuckled but he was crying even harder than before, “I realized I couldn’t, even if you didn’t take me back, I just couldn’t keep up with the lie, I couldn’t spend the rest of my life living with myself if I lied in that moment in front of everyone… So I told the truth, I told them our relationship was true…”

Iwaizumi nodded between sobs and with a faint smile formed on his lips, “I know… I saw it…”

Oikawa looked up to him and then frowned, “You… You saw it?”

Iwaizumi nodded again, “Of course I did… Even if you were going to lie, I had to watch it…”

Oikawa shook his head, “I couldn’t lie… Not when I know the truth about us, not after hearing those words coming from your own lips, and not when I knew the way I felt about you…”

Iwaizumi watched him, feeling the voices in his heart and brain screaming louder than ever, the white noise that evolved around the room even though they were in complete silence. The background story that tried to develop at the same time as Oikawa’s words. One thing or the other. Akaashi or Yachi. Forgive or walk away. His brain or his heart. Safety and loneliness or love and pain.

And then Oikawa spoke the breaking words… “I love you, Iwaizumi… I love you with all my heart and soul, I love you from the day I met you to this very moment, and I know even if you don’t take me back… I will continue to love you until the end of my days because no one has ever made me feel this way, I have never lived things like what we’ve lived together, no one has made me want to do things like you…” He shook his head and shrugged, “I just love you…”

Iwaizumi looked away, “No… No, I can’t Oikawa…” He mumbled. He felt the words exiting through his vocal cords; they were so painful he thought he would lose his voice even though he was speaking in such a low tone, “I can’t do this anymore, Oikawa… I can’t take it… What I said in the agency is true… I can’t… I have to take care of myself.” He stood up and stepped aside.

Oikawa shook his head, “No, no, Iwaizumi, listen to me, please…” He begged, standing up with him and following him.

Iwaizumi looked at him but then looked away, “I’m sorry, I just need time to-”

Oikawa grabbed him by the wrist once more and turned him around, making Iwaizumi’s voice disappear against his lips, their cheeks almost touching and the tears in them mixing together.

Their lips moved together and Iwaizumi felt the white noise inside of his brain and heart disappear, the storm in his body had dissipated until there was no trace of any of the confusion that he felt in the previous days… He could only think of Oikawa’s lips, the way they tasted, the way they felt against his own. The scent of his body, the touch of his skin, the sound of his breathing, and the way he felt about him.

_One thing or the other._

_Akaashi or Yachi._

_Forgive or walk away._

_His brain or his heart._

_Safety and loneliness or love and pain._

No. That’s not how life worked. That’s not how love worked…

He couldn’t choose because there wasn’t a choice to be made, he couldn’t decide who was right because both of them were. He could walk away, he didn’t owe anyone anything... And Oikawa had panicked. Maybe not exactly for the same reason as Yachi expected, but they were both right. In a perfect world, you can choose from one or the other, in a perfect world life can be summarized to left or right, black or white, on or off, good or bad, right or wrong… But not real life… And even less love.

There was no choice to be made, there just wasn’t. Akaashi was right, and so was Yachi. Yet at the same time, neither of them were right because, with situations like this, you can’t just draw conclusions and ideas.

Choosing between walking away or forgiving… That wasn’t true.

There was no choice to be made… Because the choice had already been made.

It had been made from the moment Iwaizumi fell in love with Oikawa, from the moment they decided to spend time together and Iwaizumi decided to risk getting hurt, from the moment Oikawa poured Iwaizumi’s coffee on his shirt… The only choice that ever had to be done was either to love someone or not to. And Iwaizumi loved Oikawa. He loved him so much it hurt his every bone and cell of his body.

He stepped forward and pushed him against the wall, kissing him harder and more passionately than he ever did before. His lips dying and thirsty for the taste of Oikawa. He loved him, he loved him with everything he had and everything he was. He loved him, and there was no other choice to be made. When you fall in love you can’t choose to avoid getting hurt, you can’t choose to walk away, and you can’t choose to forgive or forget. From the moment you fall in love… All the other choices have been made.

“I’m sorry, Iwaizumi… I’m sorry I hurt you, I’m sorry I assumed you didn’t care about me, I’m sorry I broke your heart…” Oikawa mumbled between kisses, moving his hands up to Iwaizumi’s cheeks.  

Iwaizumi stood against him, his hands on Oikawa’s hip, “I’m sorry we got caught… I’m sorry you got fired… I’m sorry you had to publicly come out…”

Oikawa put his arms around Iwaizumi’s neck, “It wasn’t your fault…”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “I should have been more careful, they had pictures of me, they caught us because of me…”

Oikawa chuckled softly and closed his eyes, “It wasn’t your fault… It was the doorman.”

Iwaizumi hesitated, “The… The doorman?”

Oikawa nodded, “He sold the story to the magazines, he was the one who called them all the times you spent the night at my place or whenever he knew we were going out…”

“The fucking doorman?” He asked in disbelief.

Oikawa nodded again, and both chuckled at the thought before kissing once more.

Iwaizumi stepped back, moving his hand up and caressing Oikawa’s hair and cheeks, “You shouldn’t have admitted anything… What about your career?”

Oikawa shook his head, looking back into Iwaizumi’s eyes, “I’ll take care of that whenever I have to… But there’s no point being successful if I can’t be myself with who I want to be…”

Iwaizumi sighed and dried the tears from Oikawa’s cheeks, “How can you be so beautiful even when you’re crying?...” He whispered.

Oikawa hesitated, tears still falling down his eyelashes, “I love you, Iwaizumi…”

Iwaizumi nodded, putting his forehead against his, “I love you too, Oikawa… But please, let’s just never assume anything again, okay?”

Oikawa smiled and nodded, closing his eyes and sighing in relief, “Does that mean you’ll take me back?”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “I don’t have to take you back… You were already mine.”

Oikawa hesitated, “Are… Are you sure? We still have to deal with the media and-”

Iwaizumi scoffed, “Would you shut up already? I told you I don’t mind any of that… I love you, and I want to be with you through that.” He chuckled, "We do have a lot to talk about, though, a lot to clear up..."

Oikawa nodded before moving forward and kissing him, his fingers pressed tightly on Iwaizumi’s cheeks, “I love you, Iwa-chan… I love you.”

There wasn’t a choice to be made, there wasn’t right or wrong, black or white, left or right… You either loved someone… Or you didn’t. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this outcome! Did you expect this to happen? Let me know in the comments down bellow what you loved, hated, thought, or assumed! haha Once again, it was really hard to write this chapter. I didn't want to make a mechanical love story where this happens and then obviously that happens and so on... But I wanted to really dig up the characters personalities and the development through the fics and make an outcome according to that... So yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed it! 
> 
> Oh, and don't worry! This isn't a final resolution! as Iwaizumi said, they still have a lot of things to clear up and a lot to to go through so no worries <333 
> 
> Have a wonderful weekend my lovelies, <333   
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	17. Tears and Laughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa huffed and looked down at the pillow, his fingers grabbing Iwaizumi’s forearm, “I’m sorry all of this happened.”
> 
> Iwaizumi smiled and moved forward, his arms gently surrounding Oikawa’s torso and pulling him closer, “I’m not… I wouldn’t change a thing.” He whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello guys~ 
> 
> Here you have the new chapter! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!  
> If you want two cute songs I used for this writing, I'll give you; "The Letter That Never Came by Thomas Newman" and "Smiling by Harry Gregson-Williams (Man On Fire Theme)"
> 
> Now, don't forget to check out the rest of fics in this series! 
> 
> Have a wonderful weekend <333  
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

The tip of their fingers caressed each other, their hands far too scared to reach forward, and their lips sealed as they watched each other in silence. The only sound they could hear was their slow breathing along with the soft and distant song of the evening birds. The sun was setting, tanning their skin along with the remaining lights of dawn.

Iwaizumi’s bed had never felt more comfortable, it had become his favorite place in the world now that he was lying on his side, staring at Oikawa who watched him back. Their bodies forming a parallel window, their eyes describing all the many things they wanted to say but didn’t know how.

Their eyelashes blinking slowly, but for short periods of time, almost as if they feared the person in front of them would disappear. Their lips unmoving, constantly forming the most beautiful and honest smiles the world could ever see, their breathing even and peaceful, along with their heartbeats that beat in unison.

Iwaizumi sighed, “What a troublesome guy you are…” his voice still sounded nasal from the crying, and although his tears were dry, his face still felt like he could cry more.

Oikawa giggled softly, his red and teary eyes narrowed with the laughter, “Well, you’re not very easy either…”

Iwaizumi moved his hand forward, his palm resting underneath Oikawa’s, “So we are in this predicament because of your mean doorman?”

Oikawa giggled once more while nodding, “That asshole… But it should be okay, he was already fired.”

Iwaizumi sighed and looked down at the bed beneath him, “I still should have been more careful.”

Oikawa shook his head, “You couldn’t have been. It was not only not your responsibility but there was also no chance we could have predicted something like this…” His fingertips slowly circled Iwaizumi’s palms and wrist.

Iwaizumi stared into his eyes, his face numb and his mind in awe at how beautiful Oikawa was, “Do we know who leaked… My story?”

Oikawa hesitated but looked down, “No… I’m sorry, we tried to find the person, but we couldn’t.”

Iwaizumi sighed and nodded, unsure of what else to say. Everything around him felt so surreal, he had plenty of reasons to feel unhappy with the situation, he could be angry and whoever leaked the story, or at the people who were constantly sending hate mail or simply talking shit on TV or the radio. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t feel unhappiness, or anger, or any bad feeling at all when he knew his hand was being caressed by no one else but Oikawa.

“I liked you… From the beginning.” Iwaizumi began to explain, “But I didn’t take it well… I even had a panic attack in the middle of the academy.” He chuckled as he looked up to Oikawa’s eyes, “I talked a lot about it with my friends… And well, I decided I was willing to risk getting hurt, but I was still scared…”

Oikawa’s eyes began to tear up again, his lips tensed and pursed as he felt the tears gather between them, “I’m sorry, Iwa-chan… I’m sorry they did something like that to you; you’re so beautiful and kind… You didn’t deserve any of that…” He mumbled.

Iwaizumi chuckled, “I don’t care if I deserved it or not… I don’t even care if it happened, I just care about us.”

Oikawa huffed and looked down at the pillow, his fingers grabbing Iwaizumi’s forearm, “I’m sorry all of this happened.”

Iwaizumi smiled and moved forward, his arms gently surrounding Oikawa’s torso and pulling him closer, “I’m not… I wouldn’t change a thing.” He whispered.

Oikawa’s hands held on tightly to Iwaizumi’s shirt, the fabric being pulled by his thin and soft fingers, “But they wanted to make you come out to save me…” He mumbled between tears.

Iwaizumi chuckled, “I know… But I was going to do it anyways; you fought so hard for this chance with your acting career…”

Oikawa sobbed, burying his face against Iwaizumi’s neck and letting the tears fall on him, “They shouldn’t have asked something like that of you… I was so angry at Ushijima when I found out…”

“It’s not his fault either; he’s just doing his job…” Iwaizumi whispered as he moved his fingers through Oikawa’s hair, his eyes closed and feeling the scent of his adored actor between his arms, “It’s okay…”  

Oikawa shook his head, moving the neck of Iwaizumi’s shirt in the process, “It’s not okay, I’m sorry…” He sobbed.

Iwaizumi sighed, “Don’t apologize to me; I’m sure you had it worse than I did… I heard you got fired from the movie production and I’m sure not only Ushijima but the rest of the agency was pretty shocked and angry.”

Oikawa slightly moved away to look at Iwaizumi, “I don’t care about that stupid movie, it sucked anyways… I didn’t want to do it in the first place.” He pouted.

Iwaizumi cleaned his tears with his thumbs, “But what about your family and the agency?”

Oikawa shrugged, “Apparently everyone close to me knew?”

“Well, you are pretty gay…” Iwaizumi joked in an attempt to lighten up the mood, and it seemed to work since Oikawa chuckled between tears.

He sighed, “My father and Ushijima were obviously pretty mad.” He sniffed, “My mother and sister said it was my decision and they knew I would make the right one.”

Iwaizumi watched him, part of him feeling guilty for all the trouble they had caused, “Are they still mad at you?”

Oikawa shrugged, “I don’t know, I haven’t really talked to them… I’m guessing my father is.”

Iwaizumi sighed and held him closely, hugging him as tenderly as possible, “Are you sure you want to come out, then? I won’t be mad if you prefer to break up and-”

“No! Iwa-chan, don’t be mean, please…” Oikawa reproached, moving him aside to look back at him once more, “I won’t live a lie for one more day, and I won’t break up with you because stupid people can’t mind their own business.”

Iwaizumi hesitated and looked down, “Are you sure?”

Oikawa quickly nodded, “Of course I’m sure… I want to be with you for the rest of my life… I want to be able to form part of the Sunshine Park family and to formally take you as my date to the events that you agree on accompanying me to.”

Iwaizumi smiled, “I’ll go to as many as you want me to…” He chuckled, “But then… Are we dating or not?”

Oikawa giggled and nodded, “Of course we are… I’m sorry I said we weren’t…”

Iwaizumi laughed as well, leaning forward and kissing him on the lips, drowning their laughter into the seriousness of the tender love and need they felt for each other. He pressed his forehead against his, and with the back of his fingers he caressed his cheeks, “I love you, okay? And we’ll get through this together.”

Oikawa nodded slowly, his hands on Iwaizumi’s chest, feeling the warmth of his skin and his relaxed heartbeat, “I love you too… And we won’t assume anything anymore.”

Iwaizumi laughed and shook his head, “No more assumptions, definitely.” He said before kissing him once more.

Suddenly, a soft weight on the bed made them look down, Sai was standing there, his eyes looking at both men with a mixture of excitement and need for attention. He rushed between them and rubbed himself against their chest, happily breathing and drooling everywhere as he licked both Iwaizumi’s and Oikawa’s faces, making them giggle together.

“I think Sai wants to go out for a walk…” Oikawa said as he rubbed his stomach.

Iwaizumi nodded and stood up from the bed, “I’ll go take him downstairs then.”

Oikawa moved up as well, looking out the window, “It’s already dark, you should be careful.”

Iwaizumi grabbed a hoodie and a coat and just as he was putting them on, Oikawa walked towards him, he extended his hand and lifted the hood over Iwaizumi’s head, “There might be reporters outside.” He frowned worriedly.

Iwaizumi laughed, “Oh yes, can’t let them know it’s me exiting... My own apartment... With your dog.”

Oikawa huffed and rolled his eyes, “Do you want me to make dinner or order something?”

Iwaizumi grabbed Sai’s leash and began to put it on him, “It’s really up to you. Also, we need to buy Sai a coat, he might be getting bigger but I don’t want him to get sick.”

“Yeah, you’re right…” Oikawa mumbled as he looked down at them with a smile across his lips.

Iwaizumi looked up to him, “What is it?”

Oikawa shook his head, “Nothing, I’m just happy.” He said as he watched Iwaizumi stand up once more.

“Okay, I’ll be right back, okay?” He leaned forward and kissed him, perhaps for too many minutes too long.

Iwaizumi stepped outside his apartment, Sai walking happily to his side. They took the elevator and exited his building, the freshness of the winter night hitting his face and making him shiver in the spur of the moment. With his hands in his pockets and Sai’s leash tangled around his wrist, they both began to walk through the dark and silent streets, the road wet from the melted snow that piled up to the sides of the sidewalks against the walls of the buildings, the night starred like an explosion of galaxies above them, and the few cars that passed by were as quiet as the soft wind that caressed their bodies.

If there was someone hiding in the bushes taking pictures he didn’t notice them, and fairly enough he wouldn’t care either. Worst had already happened, and he was ready to cross this storm if it meant doing it for and with Oikawa. He was ready to confront the demons from his past, whether they were in forms of questions or magazine articles, he wouldn’t mind facing the entirety of the world that wanted to burn him at the stake if it meant doing it for Oikawa. He loved him, he had never been happier in his life, and even though the chance of getting hurt in the future existed… Oikawa was worth all the metaphorical needles, knives, and thorns he could inflict in his own heart.

After long minutes of walking around with the precious Rottweiler, Iwaizumi finally made his way home, a soft smile permanent on his lips and his mind swimming through the many things that had barely happened. 

As he arrived at his apartment, he heard Oikawa talking to someone on the inside. Hesitantly he opened the door and walked inside, finding Ushijima leaning against the back of his couch with his arms crossed and talking to Oikawa.

“Oh, hello Ushijima…” Iwaizumi greeted him awkwardly as he took Sai’s leash off.

Ushijima turned to him and nodded, “Good evening, Iwaizumi. I apologize for interrupting your dinner plans, but I had to talk to Oikawa.”

Iwaizumi frowned and shook his head, “No problem… Is everything okay? How did you know he was here?”

Ushijima rose an eyebrow, “The moment Oikawa disappeared I knew where he was, that’s why I haven’t called or gone out to find him sooner.”

“Why you haven't?” Iwaizumi asked, repeating his words as he walked closer to them.

Ushijima tilted his head, “Well he obviously had to fix things with you; I didn’t want to complicate things.”

Iwaizumi nodded slowly, “Okay…”

Oikawa crossed his arms, “Well either way, as much as I appreciate the gesture, I am telling you I refuse to go through with your plan.”

Ushijima looked back at Oikawa, “If you don’t break up, this is your only option to gain some support.”

Iwaizumi looked at both of them and then shrugged, “Can someone tell me what this plan is about?”

“Ushijima wants us to do a joint press conference to confirm that we are together and I’m saying I’m not putting you against those bloodthirsty reporters” Oikawa explained to Iwaizumi before turning back to him, “There’s just no way I’d agree to that!”

Iwaizumi looked at Oikawa’s angry expression and then turned to Ushijima, “You’re saying this will help us?”

Ushijima nodded, “The only reason you haven’t received much support for the moment is because those willing to back you up, even the LGBT+ community won’t risk it if it’s all a publicity stunt or a farce.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “So we just have to go in front of the cameras and say we are together?”

He nodded once more, “Pretty much, I mean there’s obviously a lot more ahead of us…” He sighed with exhaustion, “But who knows, maybe becoming the new mascot for the movement will come in handy for us.”

Oikawa frowned and crossed his arms, “Are you seriously using something like this as a profit? Don’t you see this movement is important for a lot of people??”

Ushijima turned to him with an offended glance, “Yeah, no need to tell me that. As someone who knows me very well and has grown up with me, you know I wouldn’t take this lightly, not for a million years.” He replied with a cutting tone.

Oikawa’s attitude shifted immediately, looking down with almost apologetically eyes, “I’m still not putting Iwa-”

“I’ll do it,” Iwaizumi said, interrupting him.

Both of them turned to him with surprise but before they could continue Iwaizumi finished what he wanted to say.

“I’ll do it, Oikawa you need to stop making decisions for me. Last time you tried that it didn’t go so well for any of us… And we agreed we’d go through this together, so I’ll do it.” He shrugged, “If this is all we need for now to calm the waters with the reporters and to get your career back on track, I’ll do it.”

Oikawa hesitated but Ushijima was the one to talk, “Good, because I already scheduled a press conference for tomorrow morning.” He glared at Oikawa, “And don’t bail on this one because it was already hard enough to get people to believe it is actually happening.”

Oikawa groaned and rolled his eyes, walking away with Sai into the room. Once they were alone, Iwaizumi turned to Ushijima, “I’m sorry… For complicating things again.”

Ushijima looked at him in surprise and shook his head, “Don't apologize. Oikawa is the most hardworking person I’ve ever met. Not only now, but even as kids he was always better, brighter, and more willing to do anything that required being the person he wanted to be. I didn’t suggest to him to break up with you because of the scandal, but because he would constantly tell me you didn’t like him. Sometimes… I can’t help but act like his older brother, and I didn’t like you.”

Iwaizumi looked down, his cheeks red as he felt the embarrassment of not only not being liked but also being told something like that so bluntly.

Ushijima sighed, “Then again, I didn’t know you. And although we aren’t precisely close, I got to see a side of you I didn’t know existed when you agreed to go with our crazy plan of throwing you under the bus. You’re noble and kind, and that’s something our stupid Oikawa needs.” He chuckled, “Besides, even as an agent he was better at the job than I am… So whatever decision he makes, it will be the right one in his heart. My job is to make his professional life blossom, not to rule over him and tell him what to do to empower his acting career.”

Iwaizumi nodded, part of him was starting to appreciate Ushijima a lot more than before. Even though he had suggested to Oikawa to break up with him, he had only done it out of pure and honest concern for someone he considered his own brother and not for the agency or his chances as a CEO. He trusted Oikawa’s choices, even if he disagreed with them, and whatever the outcome those decisions produced, he would do his best to make everyone happy. “...What about Oikawa’s father?” He finally asked.

Ushijima thought about it for a long time, breathing in deeply and exhaling for a long time, “Well… Oikawa refuses to talk to him. And his father is equally stubborn, so only time will tell.” He shook his head, “But don’t worry about that, whatever happens between them has nothing to do with you, they have always been at each other’s tails.”

“Okay… Thank you for letting me know.” Iwaizumi finally mumbled.

Ushijima stood up and walked to the door, “Tomorrow morning, then. I’ll email Oikawa with the details.” He nodded and walked out of the apartment.

Iwaizumi walked towards the bedroom where he found Oikawa looking outside the window, a frown across his forehead and his arms folded over his chest, “What are you so grumpy about?” He whispered as he hugged him from behind, resting his chin on Oikawa’s shoulder.

Oikawa sighed, “I just don’t want them to attack you…”

Iwaizumi chuckled and looked at him, “You know out of all of this what the worst possible outcome is?”

Oikawa hesitated but then slowly asked, “…What?”

“That you call me up and tell me we should stop seeing each other, and then we meet in my apartment and you break up with me for good,” Iwaizumi replied with a smile.

Oikawa looked down, “You’re not thinking of the possibility that-”

“I am.” Iwaizumi interrupted him, “I thought of those possibilities when Kuroo and Kenma explained to me what a bad mess this could turn into, I thought of the possibilities every day until the news broke, and even then I thought of them even more.” He sighed, “But I never thought you would break up with me… And that’s not only something I wasn’t ready for, but also something I couldn’t take.”

Oikawa moved his hands to Iwaizumi’s arm and rested his head back against his, “I’m sorry…” He shook his head, “I still don’t know how you’re able to forgive me so quickly.”

Iwaizumi chuckled and kissed his cheek, “People make mistakes, and even I’ve made my own…” He mumbled brushing his nose against the side of Oikawa's face, “I was hurt to not have you, confused by your reasons behind our break up, terrified that I had been used and made a fool of like in the past… I didn’t want to let you explain yourself because I didn’t want to hear the words out loud, I didn’t want my fears to be given a voice. But then I couldn’t just ignore you… Not when you camped outside my apartment.” He chuckled, hugging him tightly.

Oikawa giggled, “You said you didn’t mind if people camped outside your apartment.”

Iwaizumi laughed as well and nodded, “Yes, but I was talking about reporters, not you… Either way, thank you for making me listen… Otherwise, I would have continued to think that my fears were true…” He kissed him once more, his lips caressing Oikawa’s soft cheek, “I love you, I can’t deny myself that… And I can’t help forgiving you when you make me so happy…” He sighed, “Besides, as I said, I made my own mistakes and you forgave me too.”

Oikawa nodded, “I love you, Iwa-chan…”

“I love you too, Trashykawa.” He said as they both giggled, looking at the falling snowflakes through the window, the most beautiful night Iwaizumi had ever lived, even if all he needed was his idiotic actor between his arms.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WellI hoped you enjoyed the cuteness that this chapter made me go through! 
> 
> Don't forget to let me know in the comments down bellow what you loved, hated, or thought about any of this! Also oh my god my baby boy Ushijima tears my heart apart I swear to god that awkward motherfucker is my weakness... But yes! Tell me stuff! Talk to me! Here or on Tumblr! Or show up at my doorstep in the middle of the night! At the grocery store! At the bank! Or maybe even at the gym! I'm always down to talk about this series, iwaoi, haikyuu!! , or pretty much anything else! 
> 
> Anyways, have a wonderful weekend <333   
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	18. Press Release

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, they arrived at the front door of where the press release was going to take place. They both stood still, watching the wooden cracks in it and remaining silent, trying to breathe normally as their hands tightened their grip on each other. Iwaizumi was scared, and Oikawa was scared for Iwaizumi…
> 
> “You can do this. We can do this…” Oikawa mumbled as he nodded, repeating the words to himself as well.
> 
> Iwaizumi nodded, “I love you, no matter what, okay?”
> 
> Oikawa sighed and nodded, “I love you too.” He cleared his throat, “Let’s go then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello~
> 
> So this chapter is kinda short and im not sure if a lot happens, but here's the thing; yesterday my friend sent me 'Lemonade' and Beyonce threw me off my game leaving me unable to write proper long shit. So Nathaly, if you're reading this; Fuck you and thank you I love you. 
> 
> Also, before going ahead and reading, if you could take a tiny second and click on this poll http://goo.gl/QOeBWm you only have to choose which fic story you want to replace this one once this one's over! Won't take you too long and I'll really appreciate it <33 
> 
> Thank you so much and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter <3333  
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

The orange sunrise lightened the room, the silence of the bedroom interrupted by Oikawa’s soft breathing as he lied in Iwaizumi’s bed, his body tangled between the sheets and pillows that surrounded him. Sai rested to his side, peacefully stretched out on the mattress just like his owner.

Iwaizumi had woken up earlier than usual. He was standing in his bathroom, his hands leaning against the sink as his strong fingers gripped tightly on the cold marble. His breathing was uneven as he watched himself in the mirror, his eyes moving back to the reflection of his precious actor every once in a while.

He felt nervous, restless, impatient… Scared.

He watched his reflection, the way his chest inflated and deflated with every breath, faster every once in a while but never normal, never relaxed. He observed his thick and muscled arms, the moles he had spread around his tanned skin that traveled up to his rounded shoulders and chest. His thick neck, he could see the places where Oikawa had left some of his marks in the past, but they were gone now, replaced by the normality of his body. His black messy hair, never too sure of how to properly do it or brush it. His face, his lips, his nose… He watched every trace of the image in front of him, focusing on every detail and seeing himself with questions that had never crossed his mind in the past.

_Will they like me? Will they approve? Will they say I’m hideous? Will they make horrible comments? Will they see someone like me doesn’t deserve someone like Oikawa?..._

He sighed and looked down, staring now at the black and wet drain. The drops of water fell on it, one by one and with a lack of harmony that seemed parallel to his breathing.

He sighed, attempting to calm down but aware of how impossible that was going to be. He hated crowds of people, he hated public interactions of any sort, let alone when they included speaking in front of cameras that would broadcast to the entirety of the country. He couldn’t wrap his brain around the idea, how the hell did his personal life suddenly became a national priority? He just couldn’t.

There was a reason he worked with children, or why he walked to work and back home focused down on his phone while distractedly reading the news. The realization of the human waters he found himself swimming in every morning brought him on the edge of a panic attack, anxiety, fear…

Just as he felt like he was about to see double and get dizzy, he felt a cold and gentle touch on the muscles of his back. He felt his skin electrified by the frozen contact; his muscles tensed as he looked up in the mirror and saw nothing but Oikawa’s sleepy face against his shoulder.

“Are you okay?” He mumbled with his eyes still narrowed as he had difficulty keeping them open.

Iwaizumi hesitated, staring back at his reflection and trying to quiet down the many doubts and panicked thoughts that ran through his mind, “Yeah…” He whispered.

Oikawa’s fingers caressed his back, moving forward towards his stomach and chest, he leaned his cheek on Iwaizumi’s shoulder as he sighed and inhaled his scent, “You don’t look okay.” He mumbled with his eyes closed.

Iwaizumi moved one of his hands up to Oikawa’s, their actions slow and tender, almost as if the world had ceased to move and they were left alone in the entirety of the planet to do as they pleased, with all the time to kill. Iwaizumi sighed, “I’m okay… Just tired.”

Oikawa lifted his head, resting now his chin on Iwaizumi’s shoulder, “I already opposed to this myself; we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” He whispered almost as if he knew Iwaizumi was lying.

He looked into his eyes through the mirror; his face tensed and mixed in panic. The sole idea of going back with the plan, the thought of not going in front of those cameras seemed so tempting… And yet he had to do this. For him. For the man hugging him from behind and caressing his chest. For the man he adored with every bit of his being. He shook his head, “I want to do this… I’m just nervous.” He tried to say without feeling embarrassed.

“Nervous?” Oikawa asked with a sleepy smile, “Because you don’t want to be the center of attention?”

Iwaizumi nodded, turning to him carefully and hugging him back, his arms tightly wrapped around him and his face buried in his neck, “What if they don’t like me? I don’t even know what I’ll say…”

Oikawa chuckled in a slightly more awake manner, moving his hand up to Iwaizumi’s hair, “We don’t care if they like you because I like you.” He moved him away to look at him in the eye, “In fact, I love you, and I don’t care what the world has to say about your perfection.”

Iwaizumi looked at him first but then looked at the ground.

“Hey…” Oikawa lifted Iwaizumi’s chin with his fingers, “Do you want me to give you something you could think about while we are in front of them?” He asked with a grin.

Iwaizumi frowned, confused by his face and his words, “O-okay…”

With slow movements, Oikawa moved forward, making their lips meet and caress each other with the tenderness of the morning… And then suddenly switched to a fervent need. His hands moved down to Iwaizumi’s hips and his fingers caressed his skin while his nails contradicted his actions by scratching down to his pants.

“Oi…” Iwaizumi could barely get a word out, Oikawa was kissing him over and over, aware of his complaints and quieting them down with his actions.

With a subtle movement, he pulled Iwaizumi’s pants down to the floor, leaving him naked in front of him. Slowly he began to move down, leaving a trail of kisses from the chest down to the hips until he was left kneeling in front of him.

Iwaizumi looked down at him, his breathing now agitated by the intensity of the situation and the touch of Oikawa’s lips through his skin. His eyes examined Oikawa’s with a mixture of confusion and excitement, unsure of what the other man was planning even though he had a slight idea.

And then Oikawa grabbed his cock and began to lick it, his eyes still looking up at Iwaizumi with a daring look. Iwaizumi exhaled deeply, his breathing shaking as it exited through his lips and his jaw clenched.

“Oikawa… What are you doing?” He mumbled as he narrowed his eyes, his face formed into a frown, trying to repress the pleasure.

Oikawa giggled before licking him once more, “What does it look like I’m doing?” He purred before putting Iwaizumi’s length into his mouth and his hands on Iwaizumi’s ass, squeezing it softly every once in a while.

Iwaizumi leaned back on the sink, one hand against his lips as he tried to muffle out the sounds. He could feel his head swimming through the thoughts that dissipated, only leaving place to what was happening in front of him, to the feeling of one of the most pleasurable things anyone could feel in the morning.

Oikawa moved his head back and forth, his mouth sucking on Iwaizumi with a need he had never experienced before. The soft moans and the way his tongue twirled around his length only augmented the excitement for an orgasm.

Unable to hold back, Iwaizumi pushed his head back as he pursed his lips trying to stop the whimper from coming out. He knew Oikawa was smiling, he could feel it through the lips that enjoyed the hardness of his cock, slurping and sucking almost meticulously.

“Oikawa…” He whispered, his other hand moving towards Oikawa’s hair and his fingers tangling between his locks, gripping on them softly as he unconsciously moved Oikawa’s head further down his twitching length.

Oikawa didn’t reply, instead, he moaned against him, his hands squeezing Iwaizumi’s ass tightly as he sucked harder, almost desperately and eager for Iwaizumi to cum.

Iwaizumi’s body tense, his legs shaking as he felt like he was about to give in to the weight to his body. His toes and fingers curled as if the electricity tightened every muscle in his body. His torso leaning forward, his eyes closed and his lips wide open as the uncontainable and loud moan came out through them as he lived through the orgasm.

Oikawa moved away, wiping his mouth with his wrist as he looked up at him with a grin. His eyes filled with the naughtiness and love words could not explain, but they clearly showed how much he enjoyed making Iwaizumi move and make the noises he made in bed.

After a few seconds of calming down and regaining his normal heartbeat rhythm, Iwaizumi looked down to him, “I thought you weren’t a morning person…” He said between breaths.

Oikawa stood up, “And I’m not.” He chuckled, “But today’s a special day, and I will do this to my Iwa-chan every time he’s sad.”

Iwaizumi hesitated as he rose an eyebrow, “Well I better be sad every day, then.” He laughed.

Oikawa frowned as he tried to avoid laughing, he shook his head, “Come on, let’s get ready before Ushijima calls us being all uptight about being on time.” He sighed.

Iwaizumi nodded, but before getting to it he leaned forward and held Oikawa in his arms, kissing his cheek softly and for slightly too long as he tried to enjoy the touch of his skin, “I love you…” He sighed, “Let’s stay together forever…”

Oikawa giggled as he held him back, nodding at the touch of his lips and the whispered words, “I’m yours, Iwaizumi… Forever.” He mumbled sweetly.

Iwaizumi smiled at his response, he felt a relief and a relaxation in his chest. He might not be liked by Oikawa’s fans, he might put up with a lot of mean comments and horrible stares… But he had him… Oikawa was his.

 

\----

 

They stood in a meeting room of Shiratorizawa’s agency. Some of the people who had previously asked Iwaizumi to come out to save Oikawa were sitting in the room, their eyes watching them and trying to come up with the best way to have this press release.

After enough discussions, Ushijima finally spoke, “Okay well… I think the safest way to go about this is to have Oikawa answer all the questions.” he informed everyone, “We can’t stop the reporters from asking Iwaizumi questions, but they will most probably be addressed them at both, so Oikawa you will have to find a smart way to deflect their attention and answer them yourself.”

They listened intently, standing next to each other in front of the oval table with their hands gently caressing each other but not fully holding. Oikawa nodded with every word, decisively agreeing to everything Ushijima was saying.

“Yeah, I can do that.” He cleared his throat and looked at the tall man he had grown up with, “But if at any point Iwaizumi is under fire with bad comments, we are out of there. I don’t care what the press says; I won’t leave Iwaizumi to be hurt by anyone.”

Iwaizumi looked up to him hesitantly, his heart fluttering in his heart and his mind trying to figure out what to add to that statement, but he couldn’t think of anything else but the sweetness of Oikawa’s voice.

Ushijima nodded, “I understand.” He looked at everyone else in the room “Come on, everyone, let’s get things ready.” All the suited men and women stood up and walked out of the room, leaving only a small and thin man with copper hair sitting at the table looking through some papers. Ushijima glanced at him, “That goes for you too, Shirabu.”

The man named Shirabu looked up to Ushijima with surprise, “Oh, my bad, I wasn’t listening.” He said with a dull face.

Ushijima stared at him for a while before turning to Oikawa who had a grin formed on his lips, he examined his expression and sighed, shaking his head and walking away, slamming the door after him.

Shirabu stood up and walked to them, standing inches from their position, “Iwaizumi, if you are asked any questions answer bluntly. Be yourself. Don’t be scared of not being liked, you’re not here to cause an impression, you’re here to show you can face the rumors.”

Iwaizumi hesitated, watching the stranger in front of him. Slowly he nodded, “Okay… Yeah…” Regardless of how weird it was to hear this from someone he didn’t know, Shirabu was entirely right, he wasn’t there to show off or any of the sorts, he was there to be left alone.

Shirabu nodded, extending his hand for Iwaizumi to shake. He had odd marks in his wrists as if he had been bitten at some point not long ago, and Iwaizumi watched them before shaking his hand. Carelessly, Shirabu turned to the door and walked away.

“Did… Did he have bite marks on his wrists?” Iwaizumi whispered as the door closed.

Oikawa chuckled and nodded, “Probably, they have a lot of weird stuff going on.”

“They?” Iwaizumi asked with confusion.

Oikawa turned to him, “Oh, him and Ushijima. We don’t know for sure but Kuroo and I have this theory that they are together.”

Iwaizumi watched him and rose an eyebrow, “…Because they have weird stuff going on?”

Oikawa nodded, “It’s a long story; I’ll tell you all about it when we are out of here if you want.”

After a few more minutes of chatting up, Ushijima came through the door once more to let them know the reporters were ready for them. Iwaizumi could feel his palms sweating and his breathing fastening. Oikawa on the other hand yawned.

“Are you sleepy?” He asked nervously as they walked through the long hallways.

Oikawa turned to him, “What? Oh no, sorry… I just get sleepy when I’m nervous about going on stage? I’m not sure why.”

Iwaizumi took a deep breath, “Well if you’re nervous…” he began to feel that maybe he had a reason to be worried, what if the reporters jumped at Iwaizumi with all kinds of invasive questions? What if he panicked and ended up saying the wrong thing? There was so much at stake here…

And suddenly, Oikawa’s hand caressed his, parting his fingers and tangling his own between them, “I’m only nervous because I don’t want you to have to go through something like this. I feel guilty, and I don’t want you freaking out over this…” He mumbled as he looked at the floor.

Iwaizumi held his hand tightly and sighed in both relief and a need to catch his nervous breath, “Well… We said we were going through this together.”

Oikawa nodded slowly, his lips formed into a soft smile as he continued to look down at the ground, watching their steps.

Finally, they arrived at the front door of where the press release was going to take place. They both stood still, watching the wooden cracks in it and remaining silent, trying to breathe normally as their hands tightened their grip on each other. Iwaizumi was scared, and Oikawa was scared for Iwaizumi…

“You can do this. We can do this…” Oikawa mumbled as he nodded, repeating the words to himself as well.

Iwaizumi nodded, “I love you, no matter what, okay?”

Oikawa sighed and nodded, “I love you too.” He cleared his throat, “Let’s go then.”

Iwaizumi opened the door, and as soon as they stepped into the room, flashes and lights blinded them. Reporters, men and women began to shout out random questions as they leaned forwards trying to get closer with their recorders and microphones, cameras on people’s shoulders or on tripods, pointing at them and catching every glimpse of their movements or reactions. There was no going back.

Oikawa and Iwaizumi stood in the middle of what felt like to be a stage, the lights above them shining over them, and a microphone stand placed between them. Ushijima and Shirabu remained at the door, their hands folded before them and they listened with tension. Kuroo was standing a few steps away from them, his back against the wall and his hands in his pockets.

Oikawa took a deep breath and giggled, “Who goes first, then?”

The men and women began to go crazier and crazier with questions, and it wasn’t until Oikawa pointed at one of them that they all went silent and let the reporter talk clearly, “Oikawa, are you confirming your homosexual relationship to this man?”

Oikawa chuckled, “I think I did that last press release, not sure if you were present.” They all laughed, “Also, his name is Iwaizumi Hajime, thank you.”

They began to scream once more, more questions being thrown their way. Oikawa pointed at a different person, the same process as before, “Are you two together then??”

Oikawa smiled and glanced at Iwaizumi, who also looked back to him with a soft smile, “We are, yes.” Oikawa replied, squeezing Iwaizumi’s hand as he talked.

More shouting, more impatience, and more people being picked. Oikawa answered as best as he could, his responses brief and charming, never giving too much information but always enough to make them go away. Slowly and as time passed, the tension dissipated, and even the reporters began to ask their questions in a more calmed manner, taking turns and raising their hands one by one.

And then what Iwaizumi feared the most happened.

A reporter stood up as Oikawa pointed at him, his face formed into a grin and his recorder in his hand sticking out to get a better sound of their voices, “Well, Iwaizumi hasn’t said a word the whole time. I’d like to know what he thinks about this scandal.”

Iwaizumi’s face shifted into a short second of panic, he glanced at Oikawa who looked back at him with a smile that hid almost the same panicky eyes. Iwaizumi hesitated, his breathing fastening and his palms sweating so much he felt his fingers would slip from Oikawa’s.

What he thought of the scandal… He remembered everything that had happened from the beginning, meeting Oikawa, getting to know him, falling for him, loving him with every fiber of his body, the news breaking out, them breaking up, Iwaizumi’s heart being shattered into pieces, the crying, the yelling, the horrible and beautiful moments…

He chuckled as he continued to stare into Oikawa’s eyes who now looked back at him with confusion. Iwaizumi turned to the microphone, “What I think is… This has been an unnecessary hassle. I’m not a celebrity, I wasn’t born for this type of environment, and although I don’t feel at ease talking in front of so many people and cameras… I guess I can answer what I think this is.”

Everyone in the room hesitated as they heard his voice from the first time, they exchanged looks, their arms softly moving back and forth as they thought about moving away.

Iwaizumi sighed, “I love this man, I fell in love with him and believe me, it wasn’t something I was planning on doing.” He shrugged hearing a few laughs from the crowd, “But regardless of who I fell for… I don’t understand how this is suddenly people’s business or why it has to affect our professional lives.” He looked around the room, too deep in thought as he talked to even remember there were people behind the lights, “I don’t think it’s rational or reasonable for him to get fired from a production or any of what has happened. I love him, and this whole mess has hurt as both in extents I think no one can imagine… But if this means being able to spend my life with him? I’ll do it.”

Everyone in the room remained silent, the cameras stopped flashing and everyone stared at Iwaizumi, unsure of what to say as they probably didn’t expect such bold and unplanned response. A reporter cleared his throat and with a hesitant voice he spoke, “Is there anything that you would like to happen now?”

Iwaizumi felt confused by the question, was he referring to what he had said? Or was he referring to their relationship? But as he caught a glimpse of the rest of the reporters looking back at him, he realized no one, not even the person himself knew why he had asked something like that. But Iwaizumi leaned forward to the microphone once more and chuckled, “I would personally prefer if you stopped camping at my home and work’s doorstep?”

The room broke into laughter, even Ushijima and Shirabu were trying to repress their own laughter as they stood by the door, but Iwaizumi looked at them with confused eyes before speaking once more, “Seriously, though, I kinda need to go on with my life regardless of the scandal…”

Oikawa chuckled and moved towards him, “Come on, I think we are done.” He said to everyone, “Have a wonderful day.”

The reporters went back to yelling out questions, the cameras flashed as they both turned around and walked away from the room, going back into the hallway being followed by Ushijima, Shirabu, and Kuroo.

Iwaizumi took a deep breath, his hands shaking and his eyes nervously searching around, “Did I screw it up?”

Ushijima shook his head and crossed his arms, “You were fine, don’t worry. I’m sure this will give them plenty to talk about for a while and leave you alone.”

He sighed and distractedly glanced at Oikawa who was talking to Kuroo, “Do we need to do anything else?” He asked Ushijima without looking away.

“No,” Ushijima patted him on the shoulder, “You both can go now. You’ve done enough.”

Iwaizumi looked back at him and nodded, “Thank you for everything.”

Ushijima and Shirabu walked away, and Oikawa talked to Kuroo for a few more minutes before walking back to Iwaizumi.

They exited the agency and walked through the streets of Tokyo, holding each other’s hands and talking about the press release. Iwaizumi’s phone began to buzz in his pocket, carefully he reached down for it.

“Hello?” He answered.

“Iwaizumi! We saw you on TV!” Bokuto almost yelled on the other side of the phone.

Iwaizumi hesitated and chuckled, “We?”

Bokuto giggled loudly, “We are at the academy, most of us are here if you want to come over.”

Iwaizumi turned to Oikawa, “They are asking if we wanna come to the academy.”

Oikawa looked back at him and nodded quickly, “I want to talk to them if that’s alright.”

He hesitated, trying to figure out what Oikawa wanted to talk about with his co-workers, but hearing Bokuto’s voice through the phone brought him back to reality, he put it back against his ear, “Yeah, we are going there okay?”

“Okay! See you soon!” Bokuto sang the words before hanging up.

Iwaizumi turned to Oikawa and tilted his head, “What do you want to talk about?”

Oikawa shrugged and looked around, “I owe them an apology… I promised them I wouldn’t hurt you and I did anyways…”

They remained silent for a while before Iwaizumi moved closer and kissed him on the cheek, “You don’t need to apologize to them.”

Oikawa nodded, “I know, but I want to…”

They continued to walk, indifferent to people’s stares and happy about holding each other’s hands. Iwaizumi couldn’t comprehend how all of this had gotten out of control so quickly… But he was happy to have Oikawa, he was happy to be where he was and with who he was, and even if he had to give a speech on a daily basis in front of the cameras, he would do it. He would do it for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyy! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!!  
> Don't forget to let me know what you loved, hated or thought about what happened here. I'm happy Shirabu finally appeared! Hopefully soon he'll show up even more! 
> 
> Once again, please if you could take the time to go through the poll, I'll really appreciate it! Don't forget you can talk to me on tumblr whenever you want!! 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	19. Speaking of the Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa cleared his throat, making everyone turn to him. Bokuto immediately frowned and stepped close to him, “You and I have to talk, mister cute actor.”
> 
> “Bokuto, you really don’t sound threatening if you call someone mister and cute.” Suga pointed out.
> 
> Bokuto shook his head, “I don’t care how threatening I sound, but this man deserves to get his ass kicked. Aint nobody hurting my Iwaizumi on my watch, and I already warned him when we met.” He crossed his huge and bulky arms.
> 
> Oikawa looked at Iwaizumi as his lips shook, “I… I came to apologize…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my beautiful people <333
> 
> I hope you're all having a wonderful week!   
> I'm happy to say I have internet at home now, but unfortunately, I still don't have a computer I can write the chapters with, so I do my best through emails haha, either way, I hope the chapters will be posted closer to the deadline, maybe even on time!  
> Either way, thank you so much for being patient and thank you for the support!   
> I hope everyone enjoys this chapter <3333
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

The devil. A creature so well known to everyone that every nightmare and every wrong done to someone else will be related to him.

The devil, a man, a memory, a feeling, even the simple sensation of darkness within ourselves. It's a creature no one has seen, yet everyone has lived. It never mattered if it was through someone else's actions, maybe even the simple creation of a thought that trailed down to the well planned nightmare that keeps the child awake at night, staring at his closet, wondering if the monster will come out or not and if his or her parents will believe them when they tell them about the awful things the devil did as they were caught off guard in the darkness and asleep…

But the devil didn’t always go after the young, he didn’t always hide in closets, and he didn’t always show his teeth bluntly to the world, expectant of the disbelief in the grownups and the screams from the younger ones.

Sometimes the devil was within people. A part of their being. A small speck of the human side that no one dared to believe in or talk about because it is easier to choose to believe the human kind is a special type, capable of doing despicable things but… Always chooses not to.

And Iwaizumi had his own devil, his own nightmare, his own terror that kept him up at night whenever he thought about it or whenever the memories went back into his brain. Anxiety, panic attacks, horrible feelings, bitter taste, headaches… They were caused by the worst side of his being, the worst part of his life, the black abyss that remained in his history, leaving him in a tremble and unable to find peace. An open wound that he needed to scar as soon as possible, yet somehow he found himself unable to… But that day… That very same day…

Iwaizumi walked through the street, his hand carefully holding Oikawa’s. Their conversation light as they tried to go over the interview they had done just a few hours before. Oikawa was meant to give all the answers, but they knew beforehand that if they addressed a question specifically for Iwaizumi, there would be no possible rescue.

“Personally, I think you were great, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa said with a soft smile, looking at the street they walked through but every once in a while glancing at Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi sighed and shook his head, “I don’t know, I hope I didn’t say anything stupid or gave them a reason to dislike me anymore…”

Oikawa giggled, “Do you want me to check what they are already saying? I’m sure there’s something online already.”

Iwaizumi hesitated, but then nodded. He watched Oikawa take out his phone and shuffle through the websites on the touch screen. Somehow it reminded him when back in university they would check their grades online. The expectative, the anxiety of the results, even the wait in silence as someone searched through the many words and numbers that gathered around making up everyone’s future.

Suddenly, Oikawa broke into a loud laughter that made Iwaizumi turn to him with confusion, “Is it that embarrassing??”

Oikawa shook his head with laughter, his eyes not even looking at the screen anymore as he moved it away to show the content of it to Iwaizumi.

He leaned forward and read the news headline he had selected. Big bold letters wrote –Iwaizumi Hajime; Awkward and Adorable.-

Iwaizumi stared at the phone and then glanced at Oikawa, feeling the way his cheeks became bright red as the embarrassment ran through his body, “Is… Is this good?”

Oikawa continued to laugh, “Yes! I knew nobody could dislike you! But reading something so bluntly from the news…” He explained as he dried the tears, “just five seconds of talking to you and they already know you're awkward and adorable…”

Iwaizumi frowned, “I'm not awkward or adorable! I'm super tough and scary!”

Oikawa laughed even more, but Iwaizumi laughed with him too, he felt happy, relieved, maybe he didn’t expect to be regarded with those adjectives, but sure he felt happy enough to not be seen as a tool or a useless man that didn’t deserve to be with someone like Oikawa. He didn’t need their approval, but having the public's happiness sure took a huge weight off his shoulders…

He took a deep sigh and nodded as he looked at the ground, “Well, I'm glad…” He mumbled.

Oikawa carefully reached out to him with a soft smile, the hand that had been previously holding his own hand now moved to Iwaizumis cheek where he gently caressed his skin, “I already told you, you have nothing to be worried about. I knew they would like you. I think you're perfect, but awkward and adorable are great ways to describe you as well…” He chuckled.

Iwaizumi looked into his eyes and then smiled, moving forward and kissing him softly, “I'm nowhere near as perfect as you are.” He whispered, his lips still touching Oikawa's.

“Oh, that I know. I am Gods purest creation!” He replied in giggles before running forward towards the academy, knowing Iwaizumi was about to chase him in annoyance.

Just as they rushed one after the other, they arrived at the Sunshine Park Academy glassed door where they could see Iwaizumi's coworkers gathered at the entrance, some talking and laughing while others worked around.

They entered the school and looked around, “Why didn’t you tell me we had work today?” Iwaizumi asked Kiyoko.

She sighed and put the tablet down on the counter, “because you had stuff to do? Besides, we aren’t exactly working.”

Iwaizumi shrugged, “Then what is this?”

“Oi, oi, Iwaizumi are you really getting angry about having a day off?” Suga asked in giggles as he popped his head up from the desk where he had been picking up some papers from the ground.

Iwaizumi sighed, “No, I just… I don’t know, I guess I'm surprised to see you guys here and I don’t wanna miss anything…”

They all looked around and stared at each other before laughing and shaking their heads, “Well, don’t worry Iwaizumi, we are only setting things up for the New Year and having the last minute sign-ups for parents who forgot to get their kids into school…” Bokuto explained.

“Yeah, except we keep getting reporters who come in and try to ask stuff about you,” Daichi said while stepping towards Suga and helping him out with the papers. Once they had finally stacked them on the table, he leaned to him and kissed him on the cheek. The first display of affection they had shown since they told everyone they were together.

Iwaizumi couldn’t help but feel a deep happiness out of something like that, he liked seeing how right everything felt in the academy, the way his friendship and his safe haven continued to be the same, how life moved on and time went on regardless of the mess his private life could be, or even if he appeared on dozen of magazines and reporters barged in through the door.

They were his friends. His co-workers. His family.

Oikawa cleared his throat, making everyone turn to him. Bokuto immediately frowned and stepped close to him, “You and I have to talk, mister cute actor.”

“Bokuto, you really don’t sound threatening if you call someone mister and cute.” Suga pointed out.

Bokuto shook his head, “I don’t care how threatening I sound, but this man deserves to get his ass kicked. Aint nobody hurting my Iwaizumi on my watch, and I already warned him when we met.” He crossed his huge and bulky arms.

Oikawa looked at Iwaizumi as his lips shook, “I… I came to apologize…”

“Oikawa, you don’t owe us an apology, please ignore this idiot.” Kiyoko smiled to him, “Whatever happens between you and Iwaizumi has nothing to do with us.”

Daichi shrugged, “Except we are the ones that pick up what's left of him…”

“Daichi…” Suga sang his name with a menacing smile, “What did we say about this?”

Daichi hesitated as he looked down and nodded, “Oikawa is not me… And I still got my chance to fix things so he should too…” He mumbled as Suga nodded in agreement.

“Then what do we do?” Suga added as he rose an eyebrow.

Daichi sighed, “We forgive him if Iwaizumi wants us to.”

They all looked up from Suga and Daichi and turned to Iwaizumi, their faces expectant of an answer, and even Oikawa's eyes searched for his words of approval or disapproval. Anything, an answer to give just to say whether they moved onto the next page or they didn’t.

“I want you to forgive him.” Iwaizumi nodded, “I love him, I forgave him already.”

They remained silent for a few seconds, and as they turned to Oikawa their faces became frowns. The actor who had stood in the same spot days before and filled with confidence was now tearing up, his hands on his mouth as he tried to breathe in normally, “Iwa-chan…” He whimpered.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, but then as he saw everyone's reaction he felt his face turning red. Everyone around him was almost as emotional as Oikawa. Kiyoko's eyes were on the verge of tearing up, Suga and Daichi held each other and looked at him like proud parents at their kid's recital, and Bokuto shook as he wiped the tears from his cheeks.

“I guess our Iwaizumi has grown…” Suga whispered.

Iwaizumi frowned and crossed his arms, “What do you mean?”

Suga smiled widely and shrugged, “You used to be someone who didn’t allow grown-ups to make mistakes. You now understand grown-ups are only learning as well, and there’s no right or wrong way to do things when you care about someone… The already right way is to care to begin with.”

Iwaizumi looked down at the floor and nodded slowly, realizing how wrong he had been all those years, trying to protect himself from the possibility of getting hurt and considering grown-ups to be monsters and people who only wanted to hurt him, “I guess… I just needed to give an idiot like Oikawa a chance.”

Oikawa leaped into his arms, hugging him tightly and crying against his shoulder, “Iwa-chan… You’re so adorable!! The article was right!!”

“Are you seriously going to base our whole relationship on what the media says, now?” Iwaizumi asked with a frown as he hugged him back.

Oikawa shook his head and dried his tears, “No… But they are right…”

“They are…” Bokuto sniffed before grabbing a tissue and blowing his nose.

Oikawa turned to him and bowed, “I’m really sorry everyone, I promised I wouldn’t hurt Iwa-chan but I still did… I only wanted to avoid troubling him with all this mess, and I know he’s someone who doesn’t like being the center of attention… I failed everyone, mostly Iwaizumi and I am truly sorry for that…” He hesitated, “And… While I can’t promise I won’t ever hurt him again… I can promise I will love him and make up for every hint of pain I inflict on him because he is the most important person in my life.”

Bokuto looked down at him and then at Iwaizumi, his eyes examining Iwaizumi’s expression as he tried to find the approval.

Iwaizumi didn’t say a word; instead, he nodded with a smile formed on his lips.

“You are part of the family now, so there’s nothing else to discuss here,” Bokuto responded with a grin and moving towards Oikawa, grabbing him into a tight hug that left him breathless and a few inches above the ground.

Everyone nodded in agreement and moved forward to either hug him or shake his hand while repeatedly saying “Welcome to the family, Oikawa.”

Oikawa looked around, his cheeks red and his smile shy for the first time. He glanced at Iwaizumi every once in a while, unsure of what to say and only able to giggle from time to time.

After long minutes of talking, they finally agreed to get back to work. Parents kept coming in and going, and sometimes even reporters would flash their cameras from the outside, shamelessly taking pictures of everyone and mostly focusing on Iwaizumi and Oikawa.

At some point when the streets were emptied for a short while, Bokuto was standing next to Iwaizumi, telling him everything about his holidays with Akaashi and the way things had been developed since he found out he was a yakuza.

At some point Kiyoko approached them, her eyes focused on the outside and her face serious while her posture felt defensive, “Bokuto, have you ever seen that car on the outside?”

Bokuto hesitated and glanced at the window followed by Iwaizumi. They could see the outside streets, emptied by the afternoon as people had their quick lunch. On the other side, they could see a black and armored car parked, the engine running, but the people inside invisible through the darkened windows.

“No… Why?” Bokuto mumbled.

Kiyoko sighed, “I fucking told you they would come looking for him.” Kiyoko replied angrily while dropping the tablet on the counter.

Everyone looked up at her, shocked and unsure of what to say or do, but Kiyoko didn’t wait. She stormed outside the academy as she mumbled angry gibberish no one could understand.

Suga and Daichi stood up to get a better view, and as they approached Iwaizumi and Bokuto, Suga whispered, “Well, if the yakuza are here to threaten, they will surely back off now…”

“Yeah… Honestly, pissing Kiyoko off will be the highlight of their week…” Daichi replied as he tried to hide the smirk.

Oikawa looked at them both and then at Iwaizumi, “Why? Is it bad that they pissed her off?”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “You have no idea…”

Before anyone could explain any further, they heard Kiyoko’s loud voice from the other side of the street, “Hello, hello!” She yelled as she slammed her hand on the roof of the car, “Do you need anything, darling?” She asked with a wide grin that could make anyone uncomfortable.

The people in the car rolled down the window, a dark haired man with a long scar across his face sat on the pilot seat, while another tall and scary man sat next to him. But Kiyoko ignored their appearances, she was far too angry to care for something like that.

She leaned forward against the door and slightly turned to the school, pointing at the sign, “What does it say there?”

The first man hesitated, his frown denoting his confusion and his jaw clenched in anger, “Excuse me?”

“Okay, maybe you need glasses.” Kiyoko hissed as she opened the door for him and grabbed him by his shirt, pulling him out of the car and dragging him across the street towards the academy. She pushed his head against the wall where people could read the sign SUNSHINE PARK ACADEMY-PRESCHOOL/KINDERGARTEN/PRIMARY SCHOOL.

The yakuza tried to push her away and move his face away from the sign, but Kiyoko had him tightly wrapped around her arms and against the cold wall, “What the fuck does it say there?” She asked again, her voice formed into an angry hiss.

The yakuza began to read the sign in half a yell, doing anything he could to move away and get back in the car. Once he had finished reading every word, Kiyoko grabbed him by the collar, “You come into my house, threaten my family, and put in danger the children I swore to educate and protect?!”

The yakuza shook his head, “I just… I just…”

“You just stopped at the wrong place, didn’t you? And now you will get back into your car and drive away, because if I ever fucking see you again I will shove that gun so far up your ass you will shit bullets until the day you die.” Kiyoko added as she pushed him away, “Get out before I change my mind!”

The yakuza fell on the ground and crawled to his car before getting in and driving away.  She sighed and cleaned her hands before adjusting her clothes and walking back into the academy, “I swear, I fucking hate you all. Why can’t your romantic dramas be about normal everyday life?? You have to bring yakuzas and reporters to my doorstep.”

Suga giggled, “It’s okay, Kiyoko, you can cool off now.” He handed her a glass of water.

She took it and glared at Bokuto, “You better go see if your boyfriend is okay. If they are here they probably sent someone to him.”

Bokuto, half in shock, half confused nodded and rushed out the door, disappearing through the streets without saying a word.

Daichi turned to Kiyoko and chuckled, “I guess you never lose your angry charm.”

Kiyoko shook her head, “I swear the yakuza will always end up pissing me off somehow.”

Oikawa glanced at everyone in confusion, “Is she… Is she a yakuza?”

Everyone shook their heads, unsure of what to explain, but Kiyoko herself replied to him, “I am not. But my family has a long history too.” She sighed, “Well, since Bokuto is gone, would you mind helping us out, Iwaizumi?” She asked as she turned to him and changed the subject.

Iwaizumi shook his head, “Not at all, sounds good to me.” He looked at Oikawa, “You can head home if you want.”

Oikawa shrugged, “I think I’ll go to the pet store in the meantime, we still have to get Sai his new coat.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “Well, I don’t think I’ll be here for too long. I’m sure we don’t intend to keep the school opened for much longer.”

Daichi shook his head, “Just a couple more hours to get the last people signed up, then we are done for the day.”

Oikawa nodded, he stepped forward and kissed Iwaizumi on the cheek, “I’ll be right back then, okay?”  

Iwaizumi kissed him back before turning around and sitting on the desk where Bokuto had been previously sitting, ready to get on with the paperwork.

 

\-----

 

The hours passed slowly. Iwaizumi sat at his desk while Daichi and Suga organized the books and papers on the shelves from the back. Kiyoko sat in her office, it had taken her a while to calm down but she had finally accomplished to do it.

The bell above the entrance door rang, but Iwaizumi didn’t look up from the desk. He had grown used to the paparazzi walking in making up stories about being parents wanting to sign up their kid for the academy or about them being an old lost friend who looked for a catch-up session. Anything to get information out of him on his relationship with Oikawa.

Whoever stepped into the school, walked towards the desk and cleared his throat, “Hi, I come to sign up my kid to the academy?”

Iwaizumi nodded and grabbed the sign-up forms, “Name of the mother?”

“Misaki Hana.” The man replied, his voice hiding an odd amusement that Iwaizumi found uncomfortably familiar.

He nodded as he wrote down the name, “And your name?”

The man chuckled, “My name is Terushima Yūji”

_Ahh... There he was... Iwaizumi's personal devil..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There he is! See? I knew he would make a comeback sometime soon! Oh boy, I cant wait to write Iwaizumi's reaction to this... Poor kid... 
> 
> So yeah! What did you guys think about this chapter? What do you think will happen with my baby Terushima? Or what did you think about Kiyoko's anger hahaha tell me what you loved, hated, or thought about this chapter!! <333
> 
> Dont forget the poll for the voting of the next fic that will replace this one is still open! http://goo.gl/QOeBWm just go on this link and select your favorite ship <333 Also, just because a ship might win or another might lose doesnt mean the losing one wont get its own fic, it just means it will come out later! 
> 
> Anyways, have a wonderful week~  
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	20. I'll Be Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn’t want to look up, he didn’t want to do anything, he wanted to remain still, attempt to go unnoticed letting time pass by until it all went away. He felt a burning sensation in his throat, his eyes tearing up, and he knew he was again having a panic attack. His head moving slowly forward, the air never being enough, almost as if there was a black hole inside his body that swallowed all the oxygen, leaving him underwater…
> 
> Would it be better to run? To scream? To cry? To look up and confront him? To… No. He couldn’t. He couldn’t think of anything, he didn’t want to think of anything, all he could feel and taste was the bitterness of the situation, the exhaustion of every fall and the last straw this meant for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone ~ 
> 
> I hope you're all doing well and having a wonderful summer!   
> As always, I am sorry for the delay, to give you an idea of how busy I am... I work from Monday to Sunday, 12 hours a day, and I seriously haven't been able to catch a break...  
> Considering how hard it's becoming to get some free time and energy to write the chapters, there will probably be a change of schedule in the upcoming chapters, but don't worry, it will all be announced here and in my tumblr! I'm seriously sorry guys, and you're all probably tired of having my apologies written all over the place, but I'm doing as best as I can. I will reply to all your comments tomorrow for sure and I will post Glassed View's chapter as well <33.
> 
> Now, as for this chapter! The song for this one is "Jaymes Young - I'll Be Good". I TRULY recommend listening to this if you want to live this chapter to its fullest Q_Q I hope you guys enjoy it!
> 
> Thank you so much for your patience! <333  
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

“My name is Terushima Yūji”  He spoke, his voice soft and mixed with a light amusement as if he could see Iwaizumi’s soul fall to the ground from a fifth store window.

The blood, the red liquid that he could feel pouring from his heart, painful sounds emitted from his brain, even the sole touch of his own skin… It felt as if someone was ripping it all apart, taking it away, driving him insane with the slowness of reality, the uncertainty of what reaction he must choose.

"Ter". It was all he had managed to write... The pen between his fingers was shaking, the tip still against the paper, drawing odd lines as if he was marking an approaching earthquake.  Terushima…

He didn’t want to look up, he didn’t want to do anything, he wanted to remain still, attempt to go unnoticed letting time pass by until it all went away. He felt a burning sensation in his throat, his eyes tearing up, and he knew he was again having a panic attack. His head moving slowly forward, the air never being enough, almost as if there was a black hole inside his body that swallowed all the oxygen, leaving him underwater…

Would it be better to run? To scream? To cry? To look up and confront him? To… No. He couldn’t. He couldn’t think of anything, he didn’t want to think of anything, all he could feel and taste was the bitterness of the situation, the exhaustion of every fall and the last straw this meant for him.

But then he felt a soft touch on his shoulder, the tenderness of the supportive fingers and the light squeeze of compassion, and then the deep serious voice that had always meant a salvation for anyone that worked at the academy, “I’m sorry, but my friend here is about to go on a break, why don’t I take your details instead?” Daichi asked, his voice mixed between the politeness he had to show and the vibrant need to punch the man in front of him to death.

Obeying and unsure what else to do, Iwaizumi stood up and walked away, his eyes looking at the ground, scared to look at the man who had just walked into the school. He felt Suga’s careful hands reach out to him and pull him closer into the staff’s locker room. Once more, Iwaizumi did as he was told and went inside.

Without missing a beat, Suga handed him a bottle of water and although his eyes watched the two men who remained at the entrance, he spoke gently to his friend as he closed the door, “Are you okay? Do you want me to get you out of here? I can call Oikawa…”

But Iwaizumi didn’t reply, instead, he drank from the water, his vision blurry and his throat collapsing through every swallow, making the sensation of drowning increase. Why was he drinking anyways? He didn’t know. All he could hear was the drumming of his heartbeat, not Suga’s voice, not his own breathing, nothing.

“Iwaizumi, please listen to me,” Suga spoke to him, bringing him back to reality, dragging him back and pulling him from the darkness of all the memories he was reliving. All the things he had pushed back into his soul and locked into his heart to never revisit again… All the things he had to tell his friends and all the things he had read in the magazines… He was living them again.

He turned to his friend, his eyes wide and the tears slowly falling onto his cheeks. He wanted to speak, to say something, to show signs of life, but he couldn’t. He was blocked, paralyzed in time, stuck.

Suga moved his hands forward and placed them on Iwaizumi’s cheeks, “Look into my eyes, okay? We are here. You are not alone. We will protect you, and we will beat this son of a bitch if we have to… I mean Kiyoko just did that to a Yakuza, this idiot won’t be a problem.”

Iwaizumi wanted to laugh; he knew Suga was trying to distract him from the dark presence that stood at the reception. He wanted to bring some light into the shadows… But then someone knocked on the door.

“Iwaizumi? It’s me… Daichi…”  He said from the other side, his tone concerned and unhappy.

He looked into Suga’s eyes, unsure of what to do, like a frightened child who didn’t know anything about life and the question of whether he should open the door or not meant the biggest step he could take.

Understanding this, Suga walked forward and opened the door only a little bit, “What is it?”

Daichi took a deep breath and shook his head, “He… He refuses to talk to anyone who isn’t Iwaizumi…”

Suga hesitated, but then shrugged, “Well then he can go away! Where’s Kiyoko?”

“She’s still on the phone, haven’t been able to tell her about… Our guest.” Daichi said tilting his head awkwardly, “He’s just saying he really has to talk to Iwaizumi and won’t talk to anyone else…”

Suga immediately shook his head, “I don’t care; I’m not letting him talk to that man!”

Daichi nodded, “I know, I’m not saying we do that, I’m saying…” He sighed in annoyance and rubbed his face with both hands, “I don’t know, I don’t know what the fuck he’s doing here and he-”

“I’ll come out.” Iwaizumi suddenly blurted out, his own voice surprising him as well.

Both men turned to him, their eyes wide and their mouths open as they found themselves unable to think of what to say.

After a few seconds of processing what he had just said, Daichi blinked a few times, “What? Are you sure, I mean I can tell him to go away…”

Iwaizumi shook his head, “Let’s get this over with. I am done dragging this burden over my shoulders.” He said with a frown, his hands into fists but his palms sweaty.

Suga looked at Daichi, slowly shaking his head in disapproval, but Daichi's face made him hesitate.

Slowly and finally, his friends nodded, letting him through to the hallway and then the entrance, “We’ll…  We’ll keep an eye anyway… Just in case.” Suga reassured him, his tone concerned and his eyes meeting his, “We love you, Iwaizumi. You are not alone.”

Iwaizumi walked forward but then looked back, nodding to his friends. His mouth dry and his cheeks red, but the tears were now gone, replacing the nervous quick glances he shot at everything around him. With short but fast steps, almost as if he feared to regret his choice, he made his way towards the reception, his eyes looking at everything but the man in front of him.

“Well finally.” Terushima said, “I thought I would have to come some other day.” He chuckled.

Iwaizumi clenched his jaw, the sound of his voice, the sound of his laughter… He looked up.

His blond hair, his perfect face, the naughtiness, and hardness of his eyes… It was all there. He was Terushima, the beautiful boy he had once loved… The dangerous man he had fallen for and in exchanged got beat up… The darkest memory in his mind, the devil of his life.

“Terushima.” Iwaizumi spoke, his voice too low into a whisper to sound as threatening as he hoped for, “What are you doing here?”

Terushima stared back daringly into his eyes, a smirk formed on his lips, “I told you, I came to sign up my kid to the academy.” He said indifferently.

Iwaizumi nodded, “Why this one? Why me?”

Terushima moved his hand up to his head, making Iwaizumi almost flinch in the process. As the blond man saw this, his face changed, the amusement and playfulness were now gone as if he had seen something he feared, “I… I also wanted to talk with you.” He said, his tone lower and almost making it seem as if he was the frightened one.

“I’m listening,” Iwaizumi replied cuttingly.

Terushima hesitated, his eyes looking back at Suga and Daichi who stood behind them, listening and with threatening eyes, “Maybe… Maybe somewhere more private?” He mumbled.

Iwaizumi remained still, but then sighed turning to his friends, “I’m going out for a cigarette…” He said looking down at his desk and grabbing his pack. He walked forward, his steps decisive and a frown on his forehead. He had enough of life. Being on the news, breaking up with Oikawa, press releases, and then this… He was done. He realized this was something he had to get over with, to confront his nightmares, fight his demons, start over, and love Oikawa at his fullest, not thinking about past relationships, not thinking about all the pain the man following him had inflicted on him.

They walked outside into the playground, Iwaizumi would have gone somewhere more private, or maybe even a cafeteria so they could drink something while they talked, but he wasn’t planning on sticking around. He wanted to hear whatever Terushima had to say, partly out of curiosity but mostly because of how tired he was of being beaten around by the world, how people pushed him into corners making him deal with situations he didn’t wish to, or how he simply wanted to have a simple and happy life with Oikawa, no drama, no bullshit.

He stopped still and leaned his back against the wall. He lit the cigarette and inhaled the smoke, his eyes looking at their surroundings before staring back at Terushima who stood a few steps away from him, his hands in his pockets and his low glanced focused on the ground.

“Well?” Iwaizumi asked cuttingly.

Terushima sighed slowly and looked around, his eyes squinted as he tried to find the words, “I…” He chuckled, “Well… How are you doing?”

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, “You came back just to ask me how I’m doing?”

Terushima shook his head, “No, not really… I just thought I owed you the truth…”

“What truth?” He asked taking one more drag of his cigarette.

Terushima cleared his throat and looked back at him for the first time since they had walked outside, “About… Well, I saw the news, and I know you think I told them… What I did to you…” His voice broke as he said the last part.

Iwaizumi frowned, hesitantly to ask, “…Whatever you have to say, just say it already.”

Once more, the blond man sighed and shrugged, “I didn’t tell them anything…”

Iwaizumi chuckled sarcastically, “And I’m supposed to believe you because? Because you came all the way here or what?”

Terushima shook his head with a soft smile, “No, but because I know who told them the story.”

Iwaizumi froze, his sarcastic smile slowly disappearing as the smoke from his cigarette created a cloud between them. He gulped, “Well… Who-”

“They did it.” Terushima shrugged, “The guys who were my friends… But they did it to me, not to you.”

Iwaizumi hesitated, tilting his head and frowning, “To you?”

Terushima began to laugh lightly, and Iwaizumi knew he only did that whenever he was nervous or about to cry… And as he saw the redness in his eyes and the slow tears gathering between his eyelids, he knew whatever he was about to say would change his mind of whatever happened in the past years, “I’m sorry… I’m sorry Iwaizumi.” He said, his voice broken into the mess he was slowly becoming, “I was such an idiot, I was horrible, I didn’t deserve you and you didn’t deserve any of this…” He quickly began to wipe away the tears, but it was useless.

Iwaizumi, paralyzed by the unexpected result stepped forward, “What are you talking about?” He asked with wide eyes, “I mean, I know you were horrible but-” Something must have happened… He wanted to say that, but Terushima interrupted him.

“I called Matsukawa… I called him to ask if you were okay, and he told me you were in the hospital and what the doctors said… I didn’t know…” He said between tears.

Iwaizumi stared at him, “What? You didn’t know your beat up was that bad?”

Terushima shook his head, “I didn’t know what to do with myself, I wasn’t ready to accept I’m gay… And… It was easier to hurt you than to realize how much I loved you…” He sniffed, “I knew apologizing or explaining wasn’t going to fix anything, I wasn’t going to be a better person for telling you I am sorry and I knew you didn’t want to see me anyways…”

Iwaizumi tried to process all the things he was hearing, his mind far too confused to even know what to say, finally he spoke, “So… So what did you do?”

Terushima looked into his eyes, the brokenness inside of him, but his eyes relieved by what he was going to say, “I told them… I came out to them, I told them we were together, and I loved you, and I hated myself for what I did to you…”

Iwaizumi felt the air in his lungs leave his body, the tenderness of Terushima’s face becoming something not even during their relationship he had been able to see, “You… You told them?”

He chuckled in tears, “I did… And I got beat up, slightly worse than you did. I stayed in the hospital throughout the following 4 months.” He laughed again but continued to cry, “I didn’t even get to go to graduation, and I wanted to go to tell you the truth… And then I tried to get Matsukawa to tell you the truth, but he refused to answer my calls” He sighed, “I spent all those months alone, I didn’t want my family to know what happened even though I did come out to them as well… And during that time alone I did some thinking, I wanted to be a better person, I wanted to be more like you…”

Iwaizumi watched him, his eyes widened and his mouth open. He couldn’t find the words, he felt as if a huge wall he had built up through the years was now crumbling down with the truth, a reality he had never imagined, a vision that made his enemy not an enemy… But a friend, a friend in pain and in need, someone who had been through enough… Someone who regretted everything that had happened, and wanted a second chance.

Terushima looked down, his nose running and the beautifulness of his face now a mess with the pain, “I wanted to come sooner, I wanted to show up one day and explain everything, but I never had the courage. I saw you every once in a while in town, other times I came here with the idea to be brave and say what I had to say… But I always froze, I always thought I deserved all this pain, I deserved to carry with this forever, I didn’t deserve your forgiveness…” He shook his head, “And then I read the story in the news, and I knew you were hurt, I knew you were panicking over the media attention, I knew you weren’t okay and having that in the news wasn’t good for you…” He sighed, “I’m sorry Iwaizumi, I’m so sorry… I don’t want you to forgive me, I just want you to know how sorry I am… And how I’m truly trying to be a better person.”

And there it was... The light that went on and made the shadows dissipate. The soft song that ended the loud and bad whispers that reminded him of the nightmare, and instead were ready to replace this with a new beginning. 

Iwaizumi sniffed, his cheeks wet with his own tears that cascaded down his face, “Thank you…” He mumbled, “Thank you…” He whispered again, Thank you for apologizing, for telling me the truth…” He took a deep breath, "and I accept your apology..."

Terushima looked back at him and seeing him cry and hearing those words only made his lips tremble and cry even harder, “…Why?”

Iwaizumi shook his head and shrugged, “Because it’s time… It’s time we stop this story and turn to the next page… We were kids… We were lost… And we want to be better for the people we love.”

Terushima hesitated but began to nod, “I always loved you, I only wish I had shown you more of my affection while I could…”

Iwaizumi smiled and nodded, “I knew you loved me, I wouldn’t have stayed if you didn’t.” He chuckled, “But you were a lousy boyfriend.” He said while drying his tears with the back of his hand.

Terushima imitated him, cleaning up his face, “I was… I really was…”

Iwaizumi sighed, “So it’s not true you have a kid?”

“Oh no, I do…” Terushima looked down, “The girl I was with on that day… She called me months later to say she gave birth to our child…”

Iwaizumi hesitated, “So…”

Before he could finish, Terushima began to nod, “I told her the truth. Apparently she had already heard the rumors and that’s why she didn’t tell me from the beginning. We are best friends and we raise our kid together, but she has her own life and I have my own life.”

Iwaizumi frowned, “Is she okay with your kid coming to this school?”

Terushima chuckled, “She asked me to sign him up here in the first place, I’m sure she did it on purpose so I could finally talk to you.”

He nodded slowly, “I’m sorry Terushima… I’m sorry you had to go through all that…” He smiled, “But you can be happy now, I allow you to be happy, please.”

Terushima turned to him, his eyes wide before they began to tear up once more, “Thank you…” He whined, “Thank you, Iwaizumi…” He put his hands on his face and began to cry harder than before, feeling the relief that he hadn’t felt in so long.

Iwaizumi didn’t hesitate as he stepped forward and carefully put his arms around him, crying against his shoulder as well, feeling how the weight of his shoulders was lifted, the way the shadow that chased him disappeared, how the bruises disappeared along with the pain inflicted by the past.

They remained like that for long minutes, finally embracing each other as the friends they should have become years ago, finally closing the curtain on that chapter, and letting their new stories take their turn.

After a while, they stepped back and dried their tears, chuckling every once in a while at how silly they felt.

“Come on then, let’s sign your kid up for school,” Iwaizumi said with a sigh, feeling far more relaxed than before.

Terushima nodded and followed him inside the academy, “honestly, I’m glad you’ll be taking care of his education, I don’t think there’s anyone kinder with kids than you are.”

Iwaizumi chuckled, “That’s because you haven’t met my coworkers, mostly Bokuto.”

As they walked back into the reception, they heard the voices of everyone else talking around and waiting.

“Well, where is he? Why are you guys not telling me?” Oikawa’s voice resounded in the room, his tone nervous.

 They stepped inside and they all turned to them, silent slowly reigning in the ambiance and their eyes examining them realizing they had been crying.

Oikawa hesitated, confused by everything that was happening, “Iwa-chan… What’s going on?” He asked with terrified eyes, “What happened? Who’s this?”

Iwaizumi sighed, “This… This is Terushima.” He pointed at the blond man that stood next to him.

Oikawa froze in place, his face still as his eyes processed the information, “What?” He mumbled, “This is… Terushima?”  He hesitated and turned to Suga, handing him the shopping bag he had between his fingers, “Hold this, please.”

Terushima smiled at Oikawa and rose his hand, “Hi, nice to meet you, you must be Oika-”

Before he could finish, Oikawa had taken long and quick steps towards him, his right hand lifted and as he swung forward, his fist collapsed against Terushima’s nose, making him fall back on the ground, holding his bloody face.

“You filthy bastard.” Oikawa mumbled angrily as he shook his hand in pain and leaning down against him to hit him once more, “I swear I will destroy-”

“Oikawa, no!” Iwaizumi yelled grabbing him by the shoulder, “Please stop…”

Oikawa immediately froze in place and turned to him, “Iwa-chan?”

Iwaizumi nodded, “I know, but I forgave him. He explained and told me things we didn’t know… We are done with that story. It’s time to move on.”

Oikawa hesitated but then nodded, stepping back and offering his hand to Terushima to help him stand up. Terushima took it, but his other hand remained against his bloody nose, “Well, at least I got to break your nose.” Oikawa said glaring at him.

Terushima nodded, “Yeah, I deserved it, so no worries.”

“Oh, I’m not worried,” Oikawa hissed, “I know you deserved it.”

Iwaizumi sighed, “Come on then, let’s do the forms and then I can take this idiot home.”

Oikawa pouted at hearing Iwaizumi calling him an idiot, but he patiently waited by the door while Iwaizumi finished the documents for Terushima. As they filled in the information, everyone around them tried to not be too obvious as they watched the way they interacted. They talked for a bit more before Terushima signed the documents and handed Iwaizumi his card.

“Seriously, I’m the head surgeon, if you ever need anything medically related just call me, okay?” He smiled, “And thank you so much, I’m glad to see you’re okay and happy with someone like him.” He chuckled, “I better go now, I need to get this nose fixed I guess.”

“Thank you, Terushima.” Iwaizumi smiled at him, “Thank you for coming here and telling me the truth.”

The blond man nodded and walked out of the academy, waving goodbye at everyone in the process.

Just as he closed the door after him, only a few seconds passed before Suga, Daichi, Kiyoko and Oikawa gathered around him.

“So?” Oikawa asked with confusion and curiosity.

Iwaizumi smiled, “Well…” He took a deep breath to explain everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness you have no idea how much I cried with this chapter and the song on the background!! 
> 
> I truly hope you guys enjoyed it! Don't forget to tell me in the comments down below what you thought about it! What you loved, hated or thought about Terushima! i'm so glad I finally got to write him, and I hope I'll get to do that more often once I get to his fic!   
> Anyways, I seriously hope you guys are enjoying this series and I thank you all for your patience and love <33333 
> 
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	21. Their Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I understand…” He bit his lower lip and slowly squished Iwaizumi into a hug, “You’re so sweet and nice, I can’t believe I have someone like you…” He said, his voice muffled against Iwaizumi’s chest, “I wish I could be more like you.”
> 
> Iwaizumi laughed, mostly because Oikawa’s nose was tickling him as he moved his face with the complaints, but also because he couldn’t help but find his boyfriend adorable, “You can, you know that? And I can tell you how.”
> 
> Oikawa looked up with eager eyes, “How?!” He grinned.
> 
> Iwaizumi moved the hand he had over Oikawa, reaching behind him and towards the tiny table next to the couch, grabbing the phone Oikawa had at home and handing it over to him, “Call your father.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops! Hello everyone!
> 
> So I got last weekend free... And I got some sweet rest, something I really needed hahaha But I'm happy to say I now have sundays to myself and hopefully more free time between the week? I think my bosses have noticed I'm kind of drowning with this wild schedule...   
> Either way! Here I give you the new chapter for this fic of mine... I truly hope you guys enjoy it, I hope you had a wonderful weekend, and don't forget to check the rest of updates (Those updated last week or the upcoming ones) and hey! The TanaEnno fic is already out! So if you want to, feel free to check it out as well; Flashback. 
> 
> Thank you all so much once again, don't forget how much I love you all <3333   
> http://sunshineparkacademy.tumblr.com/  
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

Iwaizumi lied on the white couch that was placed across the living room. His bare feet up and crossed, his right hand over his stomach while his left one supported the weight of his head. His eyes stared at the ceiling, his mind drifted away through his thoughts as the time passed. He could see the shadows of the day changing, the sun going down and the darkness overwhelming the room, making it deeper and deeper as the hours went by.

He heard the sound of keys in the distance, the strong steps of Sai's paws running closer, and the plastic bags shuffling together as someone entered the big apartment that belonged to Oikawa. But he didn’t move, he felt far too relaxed, too complied with his own position to even look away from the spot he had been staring at, only to see it disappear every time he blinked, for the past hours.

“Iwaizumi?” Oikawa’s voice resounded in the entrance, “Honey, are you here or you left?” He asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

Iwaizumi grinned, but his eyes didn’t move away from the ever-changing shadows, “Do you think I’d be able to reply a yes if I had left?” He said with a soft mocking tone.

“Hm.” Oikawa hummed as he closed the door, “And here I thought you were finally gone.” He chuckled, stepping through his large living room and entering the kitchen where he began to lay out the items from inside the bag.

Sai ran towards the couch, his paws against the fabric as he continuously licked Iwaizumi’s face, ignoring his giggles and attempts to push him away; the more he moved away, the more Sai climbed on the couch and rubbed himself against Iwaizumi.

“You know, I’m gonna get jealous,” Oikawa said in chuckles as he approached them, climbing over the back of the couch and lying next to Iwaizumi. “Have you been lying here since I left?”

Iwaizumi moved his right hand and positioned it underneath Oikawa, pulling him closer into a cuddle, “I have… I like this couch.”

Oikawa sighed and nodded, getting more comfortable between Iwaizumi’s arm and his chest, “It is… But are you okay?”

Iwaizumi frowned, looking down at him and seeing his concerned beautiful eyes looking up, “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

Oikawa shrugged and looked away, “I don’t know…” He mumbled, “Maybe because your evil ex came back into your life a few weeks ago?”

Iwaizumi laughed and rolled his eyes, “He’s not evil, and I still don’t see why I wouldn’t be fine.”

“I don’t know, you told me you even had a panic attack when you told your best friends about what happened… And then shit goes down and he shows up like what’s up bitches guess who’s back, and you expect me to think you’re okay?” Oikawa ranted, almost out of breath as he finished with his last sentence. The distraught clear in his eyes as he tried to get the truth out of Iwaizumi.

He remained silent, looking back up at the same spot where he had been looking at, his fingers carefully caressing Oikawa’s arm, and his breathing slow, letting a thin smile form in his lips. Sai rested on his legs, painfully pushing them down against the couch, almost bending his knees the wrong way, but he didn’t care, he was comfortable, he was happy.

After a long while, he took a deep breath and shrugged, “I don’t know… I don’t, I only know I’m happy and I don’t want to let anything take this happiness away. I’m tired of being chased by the shadows of my past, I’m tired of feeling down by something that I couldn’t control, to feel oppressed by someone’s else’s actions that are so far behind me I can barely remember the details…” He chuckled, “I don’t even want to remember them, I want to memorize this, I want to memorize every bit of you, remember every trace of your face, your body, your apartment, and our life together.”

Oikawa listened, his ear against Iwaizumi’s chest and his eyes closed as he listened to his heartbeat and the vibration of his voice, only to move his hand every once in a while, making his fingers pull Iwaizumi’s shirt tighter and tighter with need.

“I know Terushima regrets it, I’ve known it my whole life… He has always been a lost boy who punished himself for everything that he did.” He sighed, “I know I don’t have to do anything to show him how wrong he was, he’s probably been scolding himself all these years, and he will continue to do so for the rest of his life because that’s who he is.”

Oikawa tilted his head, “So you forgave him because you know he’s suffering?”

Iwaizumi hesitated and shook his head, “I forgave him because it’s been long years of suffering for the both of us. I’m not excusing his actions… But everyone deserves redemption, everyone makes mistakes and at some point in our lives we realize we were wrong and we ask for forgiveness to make things right.” He moved his fingers up, trailing them between Oikawa’s locks, “That’s why it was so hard for me to accept that grownups could make mistakes as well… In my head they weren’t allowed, we should know better, we should know how not to hurt people. But as I learned, reality is far more complicated than right or wrong, and I realized my idea of not forgiving grownups was only an excuse I was giving to allow myself to be angry at Terushima, to feel down about what happened, to never let go of that negativity.”

“So you’re saying you needed to… Like, forgive yourself as well?” Oikawa mumbled, “As in telling yourself everything’s going to be okay and to let go?”

Iwaizumi nodded, “That’s exactly it… I can’t enjoy the present with you if I keep myself from living because my mind is stuck in the past I spent with him.” He sighed, “It’s not fair to you and it’s not even fair to me.”

“I understand…” He bit his lower lip and slowly squished Iwaizumi into a hug, “You’re so sweet and nice, I can’t believe I have someone like you…” He said, his voice muffled against Iwaizumi’s chest, “I wish I could be more like you.”

Iwaizumi laughed, mostly because Oikawa’s nose was tickling him as he moved his face with the complaints, but also because he couldn’t help but find his boyfriend adorable, “You can, you know that? And I can tell you how.”

Oikawa looked up with eager eyes, “How?!” He grinned.

Iwaizumi moved the hand he had over Oikawa, reaching behind him and towards the tiny table next to the couch, grabbing the phone Oikawa had at home and handing it over to him, “Call your father.”

Oikawa frowned and looked away, “No. Iwa-chan, I want to be nice and like you, but that’s me being an idiot.”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, “Oikawa come on, don’t be like that, he’s your father. You have to talk to him, get things sorted…”

“No! He’s a jerk! You don’t know him, Iwa-chan, but he is horrible.” Oikawa complained, sitting up and making Sai climb off the couch.

He sighed and shook his head, sitting up next to Oikawa, their shoulders brushing and their eyes looking straight at the turned off TV, “I know you don’t like him, I don’t know him and I don’t know why, but I know you guys don’t get along.”

Oikawa nodded, “Then why do you want me to call him??” He asked with exasperation.

Iwaizumi tilted his head, “Because I do know you and you’ve been very moody whenever your phone rang… So I think part of you hopes it will be your father but you get angry when you see it’s not him?” He chuckled, “Also, yeah, he might be a jerk, but why can’t you be the grown up and call him to make peace?”

Oikawa shook his head, “That’s the thing! There won’t be peace! He’s always asking for more, always finding small things to complain about, it’s not only the scandal or that I’m gay. It’s my whole presence that he finds inappropriate.” He groaned loudly, “The more I try to make him proud the more inadequate I feel!”

Iwaizumi nodded, unsure of what to say and also trying to find the right words to make him feel better, “Maybe that’s the wrong thing to do?”

Oikawa turned to him, “What is? Feeling inadequate?”

“No, no.” He shook his head, “Wanting to make him feel proud of you? I mean sure, we all want to make our parents proud but… Sometimes you have to live for yourself, make yourself proud regardless of what they might think?”

Oikawa sighed, “I know… But I always catch myself trying to make him feel proud or to even look at me the way he looks at everyone else, you know, he has more respect for the rest of employees at the agency than for me.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “Well… I can’t speak for either of you, but I think refusing to call him and fixing things is another way of trying to make him proud? Or at least not look weak before him.” He chuckled, “And I think it’s turning out to be the opposite. You’re hurting yourself, you’re hurting your family, and you’re not happy. All because you would rather be stubborn and not do something as simple as picking up the phone and calling him.”

Oikawa rolled his eyes before looking away, grabbing a small decorative pillow from the couch and hugging it between his arms.

“But hey, it’s none of my business so it’s your choice.” Iwaizumi added, putting his arm over Oikawa’s shoulders and pulling him closer, “I am proud of you, I think you’re beautiful, strong, perfect, and I love you far too much to be angry at you for anything.” He chuckled, “I just want you to be happy.”

Oikawa nodded, resting his weight against Iwaizumi’s chest, “I know… I’m sorry I’m so grumpy about this, I just need to think about this.”

Iwaizumi kissed him on the head and nodded, “Well, how about I make some dinner, you pick a movie, and we eat while we watch it, then we go to bed and I help you clear your head in ways you like?” He whispered in his ear.

Oikawa grinned and closed his eyes, “I think I would skip dinner and go straight to bed.” But before he could even finish the sentence, a loud hungry noise resounded from his stomach, making them both look down and laugh.

“I will go make dinner then,” Iwaizumi said between laughter, kissing him and standing up to go to the kitchen.

Sai followed him, his tongue out and his tail wiggling in excitement as they made their way to the kitchen.

Iwaizumi looked around at the ingredients Oikawa had brought from the store and began to organize them in order of how soon he’d use them. He grabbed the rest of utensils he would need and began to cook, slowly and humming to himself, only talking to Sai every once in a while whenever he felt stared at.

He heard utter silence from the living room, he knew Oikawa was still sitting on the couch, staring at the horizon and hugging the small pillow.

“Don’t you ever do that, okay?” he mumbled to Sai, who sat by the counter almost reaching the top but obediently choosing not to snatch any of the food that rested nearby, “If you’re angry at your dad or me don’t ignore us. Sort shit out.” He said with a chuckle, waving the fork he was using and watching the dog move his head in unison.

As he continued to cook, he heard Oikawa groan in the distance, followed by the beeping sounds of someone dialing a number on the phone.

“Hey, mom…” Oikawa sighed after waiting for someone to pick up on the other side, “Yeah… No, I haven’t been avoiding your calls, I’ve been busy you know that…” He sighed again, “I’m sorry, I love you… Hey… Is… Is dad around?”

Iwaizumi continued to cook as if nothing was happening, but he couldn’t help but grin widely and hum an even happier song than before.

 

\----

 

“So…” Oikawa began, his fork toying with the food as he avoided looking up, “I called home…”

Iwaizumi looked up, faking surprise in his eyes, thinking it would be better for Oikawa if he pretended he didn’t know. He had to let him find his words, get the way to express himself instead of putting the words in his mouth, “You did?? How did that go??”

Both of them were sitting on the floor, their plates on the low living room table and the movie flashed in front of them, the volume low, allowing them to have a proper conversation.

Oikawa sighed and leaned back against the couch, “I… Well, my father refused to get on the phone. I knew he would do that.”

Iwaizumi nodded, cleaning his mouth with a napkin and grabbing his glass to drink water, “So you didn’t get to make peace?”

“Not yet,” Oikawa mumbled, his voice getting lower as he tried to say something he knew or at least thought Iwaizumi wouldn’t like so much.

Iwaizumi titled his head and looked around, and choosing to address the elephant in the room he bluntly asked him, “What is it? Not yet but…?”

Oikawa rubbed his face and leaned forward, “Okay, but please keep in mind you can refuse, okay?” He pointed out, the double okay only showing how nervous he was.

Iwaizumi hesitated and nodded slowly, “Al-alright, what is it?”

“Well,on” He sighed, “My mother… Has been asking about you a lot… And well, she was very happy to hear I wanted to fix things with my father… And I told her you convinced me to do it…”

_Oh goodness, were they going to hate him for getting involved in their family affairs? Maybe he was about to tell him to mind his business, maybe his parents wanted him to stay in his lane which seemed entirely appropriate considering this fight was none of his business…_

Iwaizumi gulped and nodded, “Okay… And?” He said with a hint of fear, the last thing he wanted to, was to be hated by Oikawa’s parents.

Oikawa closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Well… She suggested I confront my father in person instead of over the phone and she asked me to invite you over for dinner so they can finally meet you.” He blurted out.

Iwaizumi choked on the water he was swallowing, having to hit himself in the chest a few times as his voice was lost in coughs, “…What?” He finally whispered.

Oikawa shook his head, “I told her I didn’t know if I liked the idea, I mean, putting you in the same room as my father sounds terrifying to me and this is something even Ushijima could advise against, I don’t know, to be honest… So if you don’t want to go I understand and I will just tell them I don’t feel comfortable with that, I’m sure they will understand.”

Iwaizumi looked around and shook his head, “No, it’s fine… I mean I’d love to meet them and to be fair, I’m kind of curious to find out how ‘horrible’ your father is…”

“Are you sure?” Oikawa frowned, “You don’t look very sure…”

Iwaizumi gulped, “No, no… It’s not that… I’m just… I didn’t expect it.” He said in a half lie. He didn’t expect it, that was true, but the real feeling behind his insecurity was the fear he felt inside of him. Not being liked, causing a major problem, having an awkward or violent dinner, making Oikawa unhappy for any reason… He looked back into Oikawa’s eyes, “I just didn’t expect it, but I will happily go over for dinner and to meet them.” He said with a soft smile.

Oikawa sighed in relief and nodded, “Well… If you change your mind, it’s fine, okay? And either way Ushijima will probably be there, he usually goes to see our parents and he’s the only one that knows how to control my father so my mother will most definitely ask him to be there…”

Controlling Oikawa’s father? Was he so… uncontrollable? And what did he have to be controlled for? Maybe he was violent? Maybe he was rude? Maybe they knew he wouldn’t like Iwaizumi and they had to adjust themselves and adopt measures to make the dinner easier on both parts? But why invite him then? He had so many questions, he wasn’t sure if he should ask them to Oikawa, and partly he felt far too confused and surprised to even think of a way to ask any of these questions.

“Wow…” Iwaizumi laughed nervously, “Shit… I really wasn’t expecting this…” He looked back at Oikawa who had been staring at him, “I mean I didn’t even think they would want to meet me?”

Oikawa frowned, “Why not? They know I love you, they know all the stuff we’ve been through, and they know Ushijima respects you. That’s enough for someone like my mother to want to meet you.”

Iwaizumi nodded, “So… She wants to meet me… But your father… Doesn’t?”

Oikawa shrugged, “I have no idea… Iwa-chan, it’s difficult to say… It’s even difficult to explain the relationship I have with my father… Let’s just say there’s not a lot of communication?” He shook his head, “But I don’t care?”

“I do care…” Iwaizumi mumbled, running his fingers through his hair, “I…”

Oikawa tilted his head, “…You’re scared?”

Iwaizumi’s cheeks turned bright red as he looked down and shrugged nervously, “I mean, it’s your parents, and I’ve caused a huge mess for them… And I don’t even know what they think of me… I mean…”

The feeling of Oikawa’s hands against his cheeks silenced him, making him look up only to see Oikawa's bright brown eyes right in front of him. 

“Iwaizumi… No…” He chuckled and shook his head before correcting himself, “Hajime… You are the kindest, sweetest, and most gentle person I’ve ever met.” He shrugged, “I mean, you’re so grumpy and yet so soft and delicate I can’t even begin to process how much I love you.”

Iwaizumi looked down, hearing Oikawa say those things was a big deal for him, but hearing Oikawa’s voice pronounce his name was something that sent him into a thousand heartbeats per second.

“I don’t care what they think about you because I know they will love you, even if they don’t say it, just by seeing how much I love you and how happy you make me, they will be happy I have you in my life.” Oikawa smiled as he continued, “Please never be afraid of what my people will think about you because you are my family as well, and I don’t only know they will love you, but I know if they don’t; they can suck it.”

Iwaizumi sighed and nodded, his eyes still looking down as he bit his lower lip, “Okay… Okay… I know… I love you too… You’re right…” He said between breaths as he tried to stay calm, “Thank you... Honestly, but... Can you say it again?”

Oikawa frowned, “Say again what?”

Iwaizumi tilted his head with a shy smirk, “My name…”

Oikawa looked at him with surprise before chuckling, “Hajime.” Oikawa giggled, “Hajime, Hajime, Hajime..." He kissed him between each time he said his name, "I love you, okay? You’re also my family, don’t forget that, please…”

Iwaizumi nodded, leaning forward and putting his forehead against Oikawa’s, “I love you too, Tooru…” He whispered, making the man in front of him giggle again, this time nervously and crumble in his arms, asking to be taken to their bedroom.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyy I hope Iwaizumi's side on the Terushima resolution is far clearer now? but I'm just so happy to finally write them as a peaceful loving couple once more... It's so comfortable... I hope you guys enjoyed it too!! 
> 
> Don't forget to tell me in the comments down below what you thought about this chapter! What you loved, hated, or thought about my lovely Sai who I wish I could write his own fic cause I love dogs far too much....... But hey! What do you think will happen in the upcoming chapter? 
> 
> Thank you all so much, and as always I love you all, I hope you have a wonderful week and I send all the good vibes I can master <3333   
> http://sunshineparkacademy.tumblr.com/  
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/


	22. The Family Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa nodded in agreement, watching the house get closer and closer by the second, “I love you, okay? And please ignore anything my father will say…”
> 
> Iwaizumi didn’t have time to reply before the car stopped in front of large stairs that rose up to the main entrance, the sides of it illuminated and decorated by stones and flowers.
> 
> They got off the car, breathing the fresh air of the night mixed with the scent of mint and the humidity of the approaching rain. They glanced at each other before stepping forward and climbing up the stairs, and just as they were halfway, they could hear the main doors being opened, a loud sound that only made Iwaizumi wonder how big the door actually was.
> 
> A gentle touch against his hand surprised him, and as he looked down he saw Oikawa’s own hand, holding him tightly, almost as if he was the one afraid to go inside… And he probably was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!~ 
> 
> So I'm still on a bit of what we could call a 'health break'... But it was my birthday so I decided to work on this very long and intense chapter to give it to you guys as a present! Stay tuned for the rest of fics in this series, hopefully I might be able to get through more chapters soon!   
> I can't wait to regain my health and be able to write as often and as fast as I've always done! 
> 
> Either way, I truly hope you enjoy this chapter! there's definitely more to come, but oh well.  
> Songs to recommend; Joe Hisaishi - Howl's Moving Castle theme & The last Samurai Soundtrack - A hard teacher
> 
> Enjoy!~<333  
> http://sunshineparkacademy.tumblr.com/  
> http://ahominebaka.tumblr.com/

Iwaizumi stood by the door; he watched Oikawa prance around the room, stepping back and forth as he looked for different items, different pieces of clothing that he had grabbed time and time again before. 

He had been trying different ties, different jackets, and even different underwear for the past thirty minutes, his lips whispering words as he continued to shake his head in frustration.

“No, he will say something. No, this one he hates… No, he will kill me if I wear this one…” Iwaizumi could hear him say; an endless cycle of clothing, an endless cycle of hair changes, faces on the mirror, clearing his throat and awkwardly smiling at his own reflection.

Iwaizumi closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, a deep sigh escaping his lungs as he looked down at the floor. What could he say? If he tried to calm him down, Oikawa would snap back with a comment on how his father is. If he tried to tell him they would be late, Oikawa would only feel even more pressure. Even if he tried to tell him he looked perfect, Oikawa would brush it off as a compliment coming from the one that loves him so deeply.

Shaking his head, he stepped forward. His polished shoes shining with the light of the room, the soft fabric of his suit caressed between his legs, and the tightness of his shirt enveloping his muscles. His tie loose around his neck, but he knew how to get it tied up quickly enough to not let anyone notice.

As Oikawa continued to stare at himself in the mirror, mumbling nervous words and undressing once more, Iwaizumi stepped behind him, carefully holding his hands and stopping him from fully unbuttoning his shirt.

“Hajime, not now…” Oikawa mumbled, thinking Iwaizumi wanted something of the sexual sort.

Iwaizumi chuckled, moving Oikawa’s hands aside and slowly holding the ends of his shirt, buttoning it up once more, “You’ve gone through your entire wardrobe ten times.” Iwaizumi whispered, his nose against Oikawa’s hair, smelling the perfect scent of his shampoo.

Oikawa whined and closed his eyes in frustrations, “I don’t have anything he won’t complain about!”

Iwaizumi nodded, staring at Oikawa through the mirror, “Then if you can’t choose, and if he’s not here to choose, I will do it for the two of you.”

“But…” Oikawa began, leaning his back against Iwaizumi.

“No buts, if he says something he can yell at me all he wants. It’s my responsibility.” Iwaizumi hummed as he grabbed a tie and put it around Oikawa’s neck.

Oikawa sighed, “I thought you said you cared about their first impression?” He pouted, “I care about their permanent impression, you should understand that…”

Iwaizumi nodded, “I care about their first impression, and I know you look fantastic.”

Oikawa rolled his eyes, “You’re just saying that because you love me…”

Iwaizumi chuckled, “Tooru, come on… You know I wouldn’t tell you this if I didn’t actually believe it. God knows I don’t let you go out on the streets with that hideous Prometheus shirt…”

Oikawa gasped, “Excuse you! Prometheus is a masterpiece and seeing the connections to alien had me over the roof for months!”

Iwaizumi giggled, “Well, masterpiece or not, the shirt doesn’t live up to the greatness of the movie.” He replied sarcastically, “Now, why don’t you stop sulking around…” He mumbled as he accommodated his chocolate hair perfectly as it always was, “And allow us to leave home and get in the car to drive to your parents house because I don’t know the man but I can absolutely guess he hates tardiness…”

Oikawa inflated his cheeks before nodding, “You have no idea…”

“Well then, shut up, admire your so called perfection for five more seconds, and walk away. Come on.” Iwaizumi said as he grinned and walked towards the door where he waited for Oikawa to look at his reflection, trying to adjust a few more things before finally joining him and leaving the apartment.

Oikawa sat behind the wheel, his perfect and thin fingers nervously grasping it as his eyes looked at the road.

They drove in a silence interrupted by the radio, the songs being interrupted as well by talking or static noises as they moved through the large city into the outskirts of it. The way seemed long, the sky darkening as the night approached, and the buildings slowly disappearing as they continued through the tightening roads.

“When will I meet your parents?” Oikawa asked distractedly, breaking the silence between them as his eyes focused on the road.

Iwaizumi looked out the window, his heart beating slightly faster in his chest, “I… I don’t know.”

Oikawa frowned and chuckled, “You don’t know? You don’t want me to meet them?”

“It’s not that…” Iwaizumi mumbled, “It’s just… It’s complicated.” He said with a low tone as his mind dissipated into memories.

“Complicated? Do they live abroad or something?” Oikawa asked with curiosity, occasionally glancing at Iwaizumi before looking back at the road.

Iwaizumi shrugged and cleared his throat, “Yeah… Something like that…”

“Okay…” Oikawa mumbled as he nodded, he leaned forward, his chest against the wheel and his eyes carefully looking up, “I think a storm is coming…” He grinned, “Perfect excuse to get out of there before it breaks loose and we get stuck here.”

Finally and after longer than Iwaizumi imagined, they arrived at a large neighborhood filled with enormous houses, the styles ranging from the traditional Japanese architecture to the most modern elements one could find. A bizarre area for Iwaizumi, and a place that made him nervous, but at least Oikawa looked equally uneasy.

After a few minutes of cruising through the neighborhood, they stopped in front of large iron gates, the bars shaping into different figures, illuminated by the lights scattered around. He couldn’t see a house, only the large bushes and the gate that led to a path.

Oikawa opened his window, letting the fresh air of the ending winter climb through. He moved his hand out and pressed a button on the intercom. A ringing noise followed by more static, suddenly a voice.

“Oikawa residence.” A woman answered; her voice dull and monotone.

Oikawa cleared his throat, “It’s me… Oikawa Tooru.” He said leaning out the window, his cheeks red and his eyes nervously inspecting the gates.

Without a response, the large iron gates began to move, leaving the path open for the car to go in. As they drove through it, Iwaizumi could see the lightened fountains and gardens, the trees, the statues, everything was so beautiful and mesmerizing; Iwaizumi couldn’t help but wonder how much they must have cost. One of those statues, maybe even only a piece of it, could probably pay for his apartment rent for a year…

They drove for a while, too long for a garden entrance… The path twirled through the land, taking them through bridges over rivers, plantation fields, and even smaller houses that he could only guess belonged to the staff or guests…

“Okay…” Oikawa sighed, “Are you ready then?” He asked without taking his eyes off the path, his hands squeezing the wheel and his palms sweating.

Iwaizumi turned to him before looking back at the path. He could see a huge mansion rising in the distance; the architecture crossed the traditional into the ‘literally-never-saw-modern-daylight’ scope.

“We’ll be fine… We have each other.” Iwaizumi whispered, mostly to himself.

Oikawa nodded in agreement, watching the house get closer and closer by the second, “I love you, okay? And please ignore anything my father will say…”

Iwaizumi didn’t have time to reply before the car stopped in front of large stairs that rose up to the main entrance, the sides of it illuminated and decorated by stones and flowers.

They got off the car, breathing the fresh air of the night mixed with the scent of mint and the humidity of the approaching rain. They glanced at each other before stepping forward and climbing up the stairs, and just as they were halfway, they could hear the main doors being opened, a loud sound that only made Iwaizumi wonder how big the door actually was.

A gentle touch against his hand surprised him, and as he looked down he saw Oikawa’s own hand, holding him tightly, almost as if he was the one afraid to go inside… And he probably was.

They walked upstairs, their steps firms and their hands strong with their grip on each other. They could see the shape of a woman in a thin suit, tight to her body. Her hair black and long, tied in a high ponytail, not a single hair loose. Her bright eyes contrasted with the dullness in her face, the blue shades of her pupils hid behind her glasses, and her expression was not happy, sad, or angry. Just empty.

“Welcome home, Oikawa-san.” She said before slowly bowing, “Iwaizumi-san.” She continued, glaring at their hands before turning around, “If you could please follow me, they are already waiting at the small dining room.”

They took off their shoes and followed her across the entrance and through the hallway. The wooden walls perfectly preserved the decoration floral and beautiful. Iwaizumi wondered if the house was this dark most of the time, or they just kept the rooms dim at night…

As they made their way to the dining room, he could see multiple rooms and hallways diverting in different paths, making the large house into a bigger labyrinth than he initially believed it to be. Staff and workers walked around in silence, quick steps as they failed their attempt to go unnoticed by them.

A loud noise of a door being pulled to the side brought him back to reality. He glanced forward and found himself facing the dining room, a large room illuminated by not only electrical lights, but candles and a slow fire that gave it a comforting warmth.

The table was set, every plate, and utensil looked perfect and shiny under the lights. Even the tablecloth, neatly ironed and positioned with not a single wrinkle… The food hadn’t been served yet, and Oikawa’s parents sat next to each other, his father at the head of the table.

He was a tall and firm man, his shoulders and chest strong as if he worked out for a living, he had black thick hair, and his eyes were cold and almost threatening, their color enchanting with an olive shade of brown, not at all like Oikawa’s… But they did share the shape of their lips, their jaw and perfect nose.

“You’re late.” He said, his eyes examining them both with hostility. He extended his hand, gesturing towards the chairs, “Sit. We’ve already waited enough.”

The woman that sat to his side turned to him with offended eyes, “Don’t be like that! They just arrived!” She whispered, her long and brown hair falling perfectly over her shoulders, like a gentle cascade of delicacy and enchanting scent. Her body was thin and her posture had every bit of etiquette anyone could expect. She turned back to them, her chocolate eyes shining as her broad smile turned into a giggle, “Tooru, my darling! I’ve missed you so much…”

As she stood up and walked towards her son with excitement, Oikawa followed her gestures, embracing her with as much warmth as she was doing, “I’m sorry I didn’t come by sooner, mom…” Oikawa mumbled; his voice muffled against her shoulder.

“Now, now…” She smiled, patting his back, “We’ve all been busy, that’s all.” She giggled and stepped back, glancing over at Iwaizumi. 

Her eyes changed; the sweet tone that she once had as she glanced over at her son shifted into a mixture of surprise and wonder, “Is… Is this…?”

Oikawa chuckled, “Yes, mom. This is Iwaizumi…” He replied as he turned back to him, their hands holding once more, and Oikawa’s fingers slowly mixing between his skin.

“He looks…” She began, but quickly blinked and cleared her throat, “He looks very handsome!” She said, her tone entirely different, almost as if she had dropped the thought that had crossed her mind and instead chose to go for something entirely different.

Iwaizumi could feel his cheeks burning; the redness from his face must have been more than evident, since Oikawa only smiled at him and squeezed his hand in reassurance. Letting go of him, Iwaizumi extended his hand towards her, “Nice to meet you…”

She glanced down at his hand, and then looked back up at him, extending her arms and enveloping him into a deep and strong hug… The warmth… The scent of a mother… “We are family, no need for shaking hands as if this was a business meeting!” She said in giggles as Iwaizumi hesitantly hugged her back.

After a few seconds, she stepped aside and towards the table, gesturing at the free chairs just like her husband had done before. “Please, do sit! You must be hungry!”

Oikawa stepped forward with a smile on his lips, but as soon as his eyes fell on his father’s glare, the smile disappeared and instead the hostility his father was emitting took over him and glared back at him, “Father.” He greeted him cuttingly, pulling the chair to his father's side back and sitting on it.

Iwaizumi followed him, sitting on the other end of the table, looking straight at the threatening man everyone had warned him about.

“Iwaizumi.” He spoke firmly, his head shortly bobbing back and forth in a half nod, almost as if he was simply having a random thought over the name itself rather than recognizing the presence of Iwaizumi in front of him.

He  awkwardly glanced at Oikawa, but seeing the trace of tension in his eyes, he figured he wasn’t going to be able to get any sort of emotional response from his boyfriend any time soon, “…Yes?” Iwaizumi finally replied, looking back at Oikawa’s father.

He remained silent, staring back at him, almost unblinking, “You’re the man that almost ruined my life’s work.” He added without a flinch, making everyone look up at him in a second with expressions of surprise and horror, even the men bringing in the plates of food stopped and stared at him.

Iwaizumi could feel his throat burning, his fingers clenching as he grabbed his knees under the table, and his heart not only beating fast, but doing it so painfully he even thought maybe he was having a heart attack, “I…”

“Oh, look! The food!” Oikawa’s mother pointed out eagerly, turning to the man who was putting the plate down in front of her, “Hmm! This looks delicious!!” She clapped her thin hands together and looked up at her son, “Darling, I made sure we got your favorite!”

But Oikawa’s father continued to stare at Iwaizumi, his eyes piercing through his soul almost as if they tried to harm him like fire, “Why?” He asked, ignoring his wife and bringing silence into the room once more.

Iwaizumi instinctively frowned, “Why what?”

“Why did you almost ruin my life’s work? My business, the one I’ve spent all these years taking care of and making stronger… The one you almost destroyed.” The man continued, his tone growing more and more intense as he added words to his voice.

Iwaizumi blinked a few times, and as he was about to open his mouth to reply, Oikawa’s father turned to his son, his face filled with disgust.

“And you bring him into my home… Holding hands and acting as if everything was normal and perfect… You destroyed your career as an agent, destroyed your chances to be the heir of the agency, and almost destroyed what was left of your acting career… If it wasn’t for Ushijima, now; that boy really deserves my last name!” The man continued, spitting the words as his upper lip twitched in a horrible disgusted expression, his eyes looking at Oikawa up and down, examining every bit of it.

Iwaizumi glanced at his boyfriend, he saw his heavy and fast breathing, the way he held the knife and fork in his hands, and how he looked down, trying to not listen and trying to stay cool.

“Well it’s not like he doesn’t already have it.” Oikawa said with a light tone, moving his head side to side and cracking his neck, “I came here to bury the hatchet and have dinner with my parents. If my father wishes to go with his other one, he can stand up and leave, but I want to enjoy this night with my mother.” He continued, his tone amused and gentle, his eyes cold and strong as he stared at his mother, avoiding his father’s gaze.

He already has it? his other one? Iwaizumi thought, but remained silent, watching their interaction take place.

Oikawa’s father clenched his jaw, “Came to enjoy dinner?” He scoffed, “You can’t even dress properly for a family dinner, how the hell did I even expect you to make it far in this business?” He laughed sarcastically.

Oikawa opened his mouth to reply, but the voice that spoke wasn’t his own.

“I picked the clothes.” Iwaizumi replied, his eyes now glaring at Oikawa’s father with enough hostility and strength to make him back off, “We quite like the outfit.” He added, grabbing his fork and knife and eating the food on his plate.

Oikawa turned to Iwaizumi in surprise, his eyes widened and his mouth slowly forming a smile, “Hajime has great taste in clothing, but he makes fun of me sometimes.” He added with a laugh, trying to make conversation with his mother.

“Oh! I think he made the right call! You look quite handsome!” His mother added, “Part of me feared you would show up wearing that hideous alien shirt!”

They both giggled, trying to go on and ignore the staring contest Iwaizumi was having with Oikawa’s father.

“Hajime.” His father said, repeating his name just like he had done previously with his last name, “Answer me, why?”

Iwaizumi sighed as he chewed his food, he had been nervous all this time, he had been so nervous to meet Oikawa’s parents, cared so deeply about their opinion about him… But the moment he heard the way Oikawa’s father had talked to Oikawa, the way he had addressed him with so much disgust and the things he had said… He didn’t give a shit about approval if it meant letting Oikawa get hurt. Nervous? No, he wasn’t nervous. He was annoyed.

“With all due respect; I didn’t almost ruin your business. I didn’t do anything wrong. And if you think loving your son is my mistake, then I have a long explanation for you.” Iwaizumi replied, he took a sip from his drink before looking back at the man in front of him, “I didn’t touch your business nor had anything to do with it. What went down was beyond my control, and to be honest; If my actions almost brought it down, I guess it wasn't that strong. If I could go back, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Oikawa’s father hesitated, tilting his head back and staring down at Iwaizumi, “You wouldn’t change a thing?” He repeated with curiosity.

Iwaizumi shook his head, “Not a single second of it, not the good part, and definitely not the bad part.”

“Why?” He added, leaving his wife and son to watch their exchange, almost as if they had started a conversation only the two of them could understand.

Iwaizumi frowned, “Why? Because as I said; I love him. We didn’t want to hurt anybody; we didn’t want anything bad to happen… But if it wasn’t for those bad times, I wouldn’t be here right now, I would have never admitted how much I cared for him, and how deeply my feelings were… I wasn’t the best type of person to love in that sense.”

Oikawa chuckled as he looked down, “No, you were terrible… I thought I had to convince you to be with me…”

His mother smiled at the sight, tilting her head and watching their interaction, almost distracted by how happy they both looked when they talked to each other.

His father, on the other hand, simply watched them both, examining their interaction and thinking to himself something no one else could even imagine. He nodded slowly, “So you’re telling me you love him? Truly love him?” He said in a much lighter tone.

Iwaizumi nodded firmly, “I do, without a doubt.”

He thought to himself once more, his eyes distractedly drifting towards his wife. He put one of his hands against his chin, “That’s good…” He mumbled.

Iwaizumi had continued to eat the food from his plate, feeling more relaxed at the positive remark he had received for his reply. He did love Oikawa, he loved him more than he had loved anyone before, and he wasn’t scared to say it anymore, not after all-

“That’s good indeed.” His father continued, interrupting his trail of thought, “This will make our plans easier, mostly considering you two have to get married.”

Iwaizumi could feel the food in his mouth getting stuck in his throat, he coughed and tried to breathe in the oxygen as he choked on his food.

“What?!” Oikawa asked in a loud voice, almost a scream. His eyes looking up at his father and his face pale as the tablecloth on the table, “Married?!”

Oikawa’s father looked at him with dullness, “Well of course. You must.” He replied as he looked back at his wife who was now covering her face and sighing deeply.

“Father, what the hell! You can’t just decide when we get married!” Oikawa blurted out, his face now turning red with anger, “This is not how it works! We aren’t even there yet! I mean… W-we don’t even live together, for crying out loud!”

Oikawa’s father took a deep breath, “You wanted me to treat you just like any other actor, and you wanted the agency to work with this situation. You must get married, and you definitely have to make absolutely everything public.”

“What the fuck!” Oikawa exclaimed in disbelief as he looked at his mother, “Make everything public? Like-like share shit on Instagram?”

Oikawa’s father clenched his jaw, and his entire composure grew more and more tense, “You better refrain from swearing any further.”

“I don’t give a shit about swearing! I will fucking swear all I fucking want to!” Oikawa continued, making Iwaizumi sigh and look down with almost the same exhaustion as his mother, “Are you seriously saying I have to broadcast my entire romantic life just because you ordered me to?? And get married??”

Oikawa’s father drank from his glass before leaning back on his chair, looking down at his lap and biting his lower lip, “We told you the way out of this was to become the public LGBT image. You think I like this? One of my clients openly acting gay to the world?”

“I don’t act gay, dad, I AM gay!” Oikawa yelled back, referring to his father as dad for the first time, “And I am your son!”

His father slammed his hand on the table, “YOU THINK I DONT KNOW THAT?!" He yelled loudly, "The day you walked into my office telling me you were choosing Iwaizumi over your career, I wanted to break your fucking neck, but I chose to let you decide for your own! Just like you’ve always asked me to do!” He yelled, “But now I am not talking to you as your father, I am talking to you as your boss and the man who is trying to save your shit career of an actor! A career that I don’t think I need to remind you how much I hate and how much I disagree with!”

As the echoes of his voice disappeared through the room, they all remained in silence for long minutes, glancing at each other with deep breaths and uncertain thoughts of things to say to break the ice, but nothing sounded good enough…

The silence was interrupted by a loud and illuminating thunder; the noise almost making the windows shake as the storm broke loose on the outside.

Oikawa’s father sighed, “Well, I guess you two are staying over for the night.” He stood up, “If you’ll excuse me, I will get back to work now.” He bowed without even looking at them and walked away.

As he walked away and the door closed behind him, Oikawa covered his face with his palms, groaning loudly into them. Once he was out of breath, he glanced up at his mother, “Why is he like this?? Every fucking day of his life there is something to be angry about…”

His mother sighed, “Darling… Just take it easy please… I will talk to him, but you both just need to… I don’t know…” She shook her head and looked down.

“He won’t listen mom… He just won’t listen to a word I say… He only looks at Ushijima, maybe he made the wrong call when he brought him home, maybe I should have been the one to lose his last name.” Oikawa whispered to himself, but loud enough for his mother to hear.

Iwaizumi looked at him with both surprise and confusion. Losing the Oikawa last name? He wanted to ask, he felt he was missing key elements to the story and their relationship, but he also knew that night wasn’t the most appropriate one to dig into Oikawa’s painful parts of his past.

Oikawa’s mother stood up, “Come on, I will show you two to your room…” She said with the attempt of a smile, "You better rest and be ready for tomorrow. It will be a better day."

Iwaizumi stood up, followed by Oikawa, who didn’t look up or stopped frowning with annoyance. They both walked out of the dining room, their fingers gently caressing but without the sufficient energy to fully hold hands.

Oikawa’s mother guided them through a long set of hallways, the windows showing out to the heavy storm that was taking place outside. The decoration was sublime, letting them view artifacts from all over the world, paintings in every possible style, and sculptures depicting all sorts of things. It seemed more like a museum rather than a house, each room hiding new treasures that Iwaizumi never imagined to see before.

“Which room are we going to be taking?” Oikawa asked with a tired voice, looking at his mother who walked before him.

She looked to her side, only letting them see her smile through her profile, “Well, we thought of letting you use your room as always, Tooru, but we figured Iwaizumi would feel far more comfortable in one of the guest’s rooms.” She giggled, “You know the Red Warrior is the best and biggest room we have, probably bigger than yours, so we had it prepared just in case the storm broke out… Or you decided to stay."

Oikawa scoffed at that last comment, “Well thank you for thinking of that. The Red Warrior is perfect.”

His mother hummed with a pleased attitude, “Well don’t thank me, thank your father.” She looked away from them, “It was his idea.”

Oikawa looked at her, his eyes mixed with shock and pain. He opened his mouth to say something but instead chose to purse his lips together and look down, silently following his mother for the rest of the way.

They exited the main building of the house, crossing through a thick bridge that protected them from the rain. They could see a much smaller building in the middle of the gardens, facing the large pond that would probably look like the most beautiful thing if it wasn’t for the pouring rain.

As they arrived at the front door, they could distinguish the scent of incense mixed with the fragrance of flowers, and as soon as Iwaizumi began to wonder which flowers in specific, he spotted the source. He could see through the large windows the many camellias scattered around, their pink colors contrasting with the room that he was about to walk in.

They opened the door and he could distinguish the tatami room he was facing; the furniture especially for tea, the walls all made of thin and patterned screens, every bit of his surroundings intrigued him… He wanted to stay there forever… If only the skies were brighter so he could catch every glimpse of every corner…

“Well, your bedroom is on the left, bathroom on the right.” Oikawa’s mother spoke, “We've given you clothes for sleeping, if you want any food or drinks, we have people at your service at all times, you just have to use the intercom and-” She stopped with a smile and tilted her head, “Well look at me, introducing you two to the house! I’m sure Tooru knows how everything functions around here!” She giggled.

“I do, mom.” Oikawa replied with a soft smile, looking a lot more relaxed now that they had left the main building behind, along with his father.

Oikawa’s mother clapped her hands cheerfully, “Good! Then I will leave you two alone!” She smiled and leaned forward, hugging Oikawa, “Goodnight, my darling… I’m very happy that you came home.”

Oikawa hesitated, but hugged her back, “Goodnight mom… I missed you too…” He mumbled.

She let go, stepping back and turning towards Iwaizumi, “Now, you… I can only do but apologize for my husband’s behavior… He can be quite… Quite…” She sighed and shook her head, “Just have a good night okay? Please don’t be too harsh on your judgment about us…" She smiled and bowed down before walking back towards the main building.

As they were left alone, Iwaizumi looked at Oikawa. He watched him stand there, emotionless, but looking down. His eyes focused on the ground as if he was looking at something that was taking over his whole attention. He knew him… He knew him too well to already have his arms opened for him, “Tooru…” He mumbled, but before he could even finish saying his name, Oikawa had already stepped forward, taking him into a hug and placing his head on Iwaizumi’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Iwa-chan… I’m sorry he was so mean to you and that you had to see that…” Oikawa mumbled, sniffing loudly as Iwaizumi could feel his tears falling on his neck and arms, “I told you he was horrible and why I didn’t want to come here…”

Iwaizumi smiled gently, his head against Oikawa’s, and his arms around his boyfriend's body, “Don’t apologize, Tooru.” He chuckled, “Don’t even think about apologizing… I loved doing this… I want to get to know every bit about you, even the bad stuff, and even your family.” Iwaizumi mumbled, his voice rough and warm.

Oikawa nodded slowly, sniffing more and squeezing Iwaizumi tighter into a hug, “Tomorrow we’ll leave first thing okay? And please forget about the whole marriage thing, we don’t have to do a thing he says, we don’t have to-”

“Tooru…” Iwaizumi said, moving him aside to look at his face. He placed both his hands on his cheeks, “I am not worried about anything that he has said. I meant it when I said I loved you, and if I have to marry you to be able to be with you, that’s the best thing I could do!” He laughed, “I would marry you any time, any day.”

Oikawa looked away, his lips cracking into a sad face as he continued to cry, “I know, and I would do it too, Hajime but…” He tried to wipe his tears, but not even with his help it was possible to dry his face, “I want us to do our relationship on our terms, not on the agency’s terms and let alone my father’s…”

Iwaizumi nodded, “I can’t deny it’s very rushed and scary…” He mumbled, “But still, I think we’ve both had enough of all this thinking and talking.” He smiled, “Why don’t we take a warm bath together, and then we go to sleep?”

Oikawa hesitated, tilting his head and ready to reply with an excuse, but slowly he nodded and held his hand, “Yeah… That’s sounds good…” He mumbled, following Iwaizumi towards the bathroom.

 

\-----

 

Iwaizumi didn’t dare to move, his breathing slowed down and even the way he blinked was careful enough to not make the slightest noise possible.

He was lying down on his side, looking at the most beautiful sight he could have ever imagined to be able to look at. He felt so at peace, so happy and full of life just by looking at him… The way Oikawa slept was the most magnificent thing mankind could ever witness…

His soft and fluffy brown hair covering his forehead and falling all over the pillow, his perfect skin, with not a single wrinkle or mark on it… His beautiful and long eyelashes that clashed together as his eyes remained closed, his nose… The perfectly shaped bridge, the pointy end that made him look so adorable no one could believe he wasn’t innocent of any crime… His lips, perfectly sealed as he breathed peacefully in his sleep, the way they shook every once in a while, only making Iwaizumi wonder even more what was he dreaming about.

He thought many times on moving his hand forward and caressing his cheek, of pulling his hair aside from his face to have a better view, and even more to lean forward and kiss his lips that were calling for him so desperately… But he wouldn’t dare to wake him up, not when he looked so beautiful…

He, on the other hand, hadn’t been able to close his eyes or shut his mind for a second, leaving him awake in a silent world… So silent, that even the rain had gone away, only leaving the sound of the distant waterfall to keep him entertained.

He sat up on the bed, covering his chest with the sweater he had borrowed from Oikawa. It was still the end of winter, and although the bed and Oikawa’s side was warm enough to only wear sweatpants, the moment he left the comfort of those two things, he felt the chilly breeze running through his body.

He stood up and walked towards the main room, his steps silenced by the soft ground. He closed the screen that lead to the bedroom, just in case he made any noise that could wake Oikawa up.

He glanced outside; making sure that the rain had completely gone away. He could only see the remaining drops falling from the leaves of nearby trees, the waters from the pond now calm, and the koi fish swam around peacefully without making a sound.

He pulled the screen aside, stepping outside and breathing the fresh air of the night, the scent of the rain, and the trees and flowers that made the beautiful garden that surrounded the house.

He could hear the sound of the waterfall as he had done in the room, but this time the sound was closer and combined with the sound of the stream, the way the river took every leaf that had fallen on the surface, carrying it down all around the house and towards where the path ended.

He stepped through a wooden bridge, the candles on the decorative torches now lit, illuminating the path, but dimly as to not wake anyone up. He observed the flowers, the trees that cried with their branches down towards the ground, pouring their flowers and leaves with the soft wind.

He followed the edge of the pond, now observing the colorful fishes that swam in harmony, the way they slowly opened and closed their mouths, and how they climbed up to the surface just to catch something that Iwaizumi himself couldn’t see.

He smiled, sitting on one of the rocks, and holding his knees with his arms, his chin resting on of them. He continued to watch them swim, envying them for their peaceful silence and their lack of problems but feeling peaceful enough himself as to almost forget his own worries.

“Can’t sleep?” A soft voice startled him from behind.

He quickly turned around, looking over his shoulder. He could see Oikawa’s mother, standing by the wooden post on the engawa. On her hands she held a closed book, a very worn out one that looked like it was about to fall apart.

 “Yeah…” He replied after clearing his throat, “I take it you can’t either?” He asked, watching her step off the engawa and walk towards him, sitting to his side on another rock.

She shook her head with a smile, “Sleeping is not one of my skills, I’m afraid.” She chuckled, “I normally come here and read, the bamboo fountain tends to do its work when it comes to making me sleepy… But tonight…” She sighed, “I’m afraid tonight not even that will help.”

Iwaizumi nodded, looking back at the waters and seeing the large bamboo fountain she was talking about, clicking in the distance and bringing a peaceful rhythm to the environment. “Are… Are they always like this?” He asked with a hint of shyness in his voice.

She turned to him, “Who? Tooru and his father?” She chuckled and shook her head, “You have no idea… Honestly, I think they’ve never gotten along…”

Iwaizumi nodded, looking down and thinking. He felt bad for Oikawa, but he also felt bad for her…

“You know…” She continued, thinking carefully about the words she was about to pick, “When I heard about you… I expected someone entirely different… But when I saw you…”

Iwaizumi rose an eyebrow, feeling scared for what she was implying, “…What?” He asked in a mumble.

She smiled widely, looking up at the moon, “I expected someone entirely different to his father, and instead…” She giggled, “You’re the vivid image of him.”

“The vivid image of… Your husband??” He asked in disbelief, part of him already panicking at what this could mean.

She nodded slowly, “You are just like him… Perhaps not physically speaking, but your eyes, your expressions, and even the words you choose…” She shook her head, “You are both very much alike…” She turned to Iwaizumi, finally seeing the panicked expression he held, “Don’t be mistaken, that is not at all a bad thing.”

“How can it not be?” Iwaizumi tilted his head, trying to remain calm, “You just said Tooru never got along with him…”

She chuckled, “My husband… He is rough and awkward most of the time, he holds almost no knowledge for social queues outside the business area, and he is obsessed with work and discipline… He helps me stay together; he guides me through the tough times, and helps me recover when bad things happen.” She shrugged, “I help him with the opposite; I’m his reminder to take things easier, to give himself some time, and take care of his own family as well as his own health. I help him laugh when he’s so serious sometimes I think his frown will permanently remain on his face, and I help him let out his emotions without any fear of looking vulnerable…” She chuckled, “It is…”

“An odd mix…” Iwaizumi nodded, finishing the sentence for her.

She looked at him in surprise, but the smile only widening on her lips, “Exactly… And that’s what I see between you and my son… Oikawa took after me; His light personality, his careless laughter and his need to pressure himself to work harder are great things… But he’s also naïve and far too emotional.” She tilted her head, looking down at the waters, “He is just as I am… And that’s why you’re just what he needs; an odd mix of your own.”

“The odd mix that makes it work…” Iwaizumi mumbled to himself. He looked up at her, and he could see her resemblance to Oikawa, “How did you meet your husband? Was it in the agency?” He asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.

She turned to him, “At the agency?” She laughed, “Oh god no! I could never work in the entertainment business! I do have a cheerful attitude, but I’m afraid not even after all these years I’ve grown used to being watched by cameras and stalked by reporters…” She shook her head.

Iwaizumi frowned, “I thought you worked with him?” He asked with confusion.

She laughed, pushing her head back and covering her lips with her thin fingers, “Oh goodness no! I actually work in a totally different field.” She smiled, “I’m a general in the army.” She replied carelessly.

“A what?” Iwaizumi asked, “A general?!”

Oikawa’s mother burst into laughter with Iwaizumi’s reaction, and her amusement only made Iwaizumi laugh with her.

“That is the most random thing I could have ever expected to hear!” He added, “Are you serious? How did you even meet then??”

She continued to laugh, “Oh! We met at a bus station….” As she saw Iwaizumi’s expression of disbelief increase, her laughter only worsened, almost making her unable to keep it down to avoid waking people up.

“A bus station?” Iwaizumi whispered, “How does that even work?”

She sighed, drying up her tears and trying to relax, “Well… This was way before he built his agency, and a few hours after I had finally made it to sergeant, I was exhausted by the many tests I had been taking to reach the rank, and unfortunately I fell asleep at the station.” She tilted her head, her face filled with nostalgia as her soft smile widened, “I remember he carefully tapped me on the shoulder, waking me up and asking me if I was alright. I was so embarrassed…” She chuckled, “He was working at the station, and he was so grumpy the whole time he talked to me… They were about to close and I was begging them to lend me a phone so I could call a friend to come pick me up. Coincidentally enough, I had left mine at home.” She shook her head, “I thought he hated me, and the fact that he was the one who drove me home only made me be sure of it. I thought he hated my guts.” She laughed, “But I talked to him on the way to my place, trying to make him laugh and ask him why he was so grumpy… And somehow, he opened up.” She shrugged, “We ended up talking for a long time, even after we had reached my apartment, we just sat in the car, telling each other how our days were like and what we liked or hated about them… We felt so relieved to be able to let it all out with a stranger… After that, we exchanged numbers, and for some reason, we continued to talk and vent… Just texting or calling each other, talking about our days… Then we began to meet up… And well, I’m sure you can guess the rest.” She giggled.

Iwaizumi watched her, his eyes observing her dear expressions and the way she remembered all those things so close to her heart. He couldn’t help but think about how he had met Oikawa as randomly as they had… Just because Oikawa had walked into Iwaizumi, making him drop his coffee… He sighed and rested his cheek on his knee, feeling a bit more tired than before.

She looked at him, her expression soft and content, “I think it’s time you go to bed…” She said with a warm voice, “You’ve had a long day, and I’m sure you’re exhausted by now.”

Iwaizumi nodded slowly, standing up and putting his hands inside his pockets. He stopped before he began to walk away, turning to Oikawa’s mother, “Can I ask you one question though?”

She looked up at him with a smile, “Of course, what is it?”

“Well…” He hesitated, “You’ve said I’m like Oikawa’s father… And that it makes it work because the different types of personalities mix together well… But… I don’t see how I can help him if he doesn’t listen to his father. How do we know he will listen to me if I’m like him?” He asked, unsure of how much sense he was making.

She thought about her response for a few seconds, her eyes looking at the light clouds above them, “Well, I think it’s pretty obvious, Iwaizumi…” She finally replied, “The only reason you’re here is because Oikawa listened to you about making peace with his father.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness this was so intense to write, I'll be honest.... 
> 
> Please tell me what you thought of this chapter in the comments! Do you like Oikawa's father? Do you hate him? Also what about his mother?? And let's not mention all those comments about Ushijima... what do you think that was all about?? Make sure to let me know what you think, loved or hated about this chapter! Also would you like more smut? or this amount of smut is good enough? 
> 
> Thank you all once more for your incredible patience. I'm a man of schedule, and being so behind work with something I love doing is unbearable. I'm working hard to regain my health and be able to provide you all with more chapters and stories for this series! I hope you all continue to enjoy it, and I'm sending you all my love and good vibes <3333
> 
> Thank you so so much!   
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